Road Map to Holland: How I Found My Way Through My Son's First Two Years With Down Syndrome is an intelligent, warm story of a mother who struggled in a very realistic way with a child born with Down syndrome. Jennifer Graf Groneberg tells what followed the birth of her twins, step-by-step with the aftershocks and emotions of misunderstanding his diagnosis and what his future would hold. She continues on as a strong woman advocating for Avery, her son with Down syndrome. Jennifer touches people everywhere she goes, and Avery has a real hand in helping her. I am proud of him. I feel as if he is my brother because of our extra chromosome. When my son was born, I didn’t know how to be a parent and was scared. However, when he opened his eyes, I knew just then that my life had changed for the better. My son was not the one with the diagnosis… It was me! I have Mosaic Down Syndrome (MDS). I relate to others who travel that unknown road and draw blue prints to map with them. As I read Road Map to Holland, I wanted so much to reach through the words on each page -- just to hug her and say, “Jennifer, it’s going to be okay!” I loaned my book to my father. He loved it just as much as I did -- as a full cycle of parent to child to parent. The words inside this book are a genuine piece of majesty. They are a continuation of Emily Pearl Kingsley’s world-renowned poem, “Welcome to Holland!” I know about Holland; I live there. Reviewed by Casey Morton, IMDSA’s Self Advocate & Spokesperson Learn more about MDS at the International Mosaic Down Syndrome Association at http://www.imdsa.org/.

Order levitra no prescription, (COMMONLY CALLED “MENTAL ILLNESS)

“Mental “ illnesses are biologically-based brain disorders.

The brain is an organ of the body just like the heart or pancreas, West Virginia WV W.Va. . Billiga levitra apotek, Brain disorders are physical illnesses (as much as heart disease or diabetes).

Brain disorders are not weaknesses of character or caused by the individual, For levitra online. Florida FL Fla. , These illnesses include bipolar disorder, clinical depression, cheap levitra, Ordering levitra no prescription, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia, Koop korting levitra.

Brain disorders are treatable, order levitra no prescription. Order levitra online cheap, The effectiveness of treatment is as great or greater than for many other illnesses such as heart disease.

There are no grounds for stigma or discrimination for these illnesses, purchase levitra. παραγγείλετε online levitra, Despite this, there seems to be a conspiracy of silence surrounding these illnesses resulting from stigma, kjøpe levitra online. Nebraska NE Nebr. , Unequal health insurance coverage for these illnesses is discrimination. Order levitra no prescription, These brain disorders affect one out of five persons in society.

All people are made in the image of God and are people of worth, order levitra c.o.d.. αγοράσετε levitra έκπτωση, The church is called to take the lead in stamping out societal stigma and discrimination and to welcome and affirm all people as children of God.

Prepared by: Rev, order levitra from canada. Buy levitra, Norma S. Mengel, buy levitra pills, Order levitra online, RN, MPH, South Carolina SC S.C. , Montana MT Mont. , M.DIV normamengel@hotmail.com
2680 Oxford St. N #144 Roseville, comprar levitra, Ordering levitra from canada, MN 55113 651-765-4106
. Cheap generic levitra. Washington WA Wash. . New York NY N.Y. .

Similar posts: Buy cheap levitra online. Buy soma cod. Buy cafergot no prescription. Buy cafergot. Cafergot over the counter. Buy soma online cheap.
Trackbacks from: Order levitra no prescription. Order levitra no prescription. Order levitra no prescription. Order levitra no prescription. Order levitra no prescription. Order levitra no prescription.

Levitra over the counter, Printed, Audio-Visual, and Web-Based Media in the Area of Mental Health
Annotated by Carole J. Wills, NAMI (Indianapolis), Faith Communities Education Project
Posted with permission of the author.

For Faith Communities (Congregations and Clergy)

Blue Genes: Breaking Free from the Chemical Imbalances that Effect Your Moods, Your Mind, Your Life, and Your Loved Ones (Book)
Paul Meier, M.D., Todd Clemens,M.D., Jean-Luc Bertran, D.M.D., David Mandt Sr., M.A., Authors. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2005.

This team of doctors from the well-known Christian-based Meier Clinics has assembled a down-to-earth guide to understanding the many factors related to mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder). Without over-simplifying the complex relationships of "blue genes," brain chemistry, environment and life choices, they tackle the proper use of medications, counseling, spiritual disciplines, alternative or "natural" treatments, diet, exercise and sleep, levitra over the counter. They devote entire chapters to paranoia, loneliness, ADD, hormones, nutrition, mood swings and the ethical dilemmas posed by advancements in brain research. Suitable for group or individual study.

Creating Caring Congregations (Video)
Distributed by Mental Health Ministries. Duration: 30 minutes. Levitra over the counter, Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder provides here a useful tool for building awareness about mental illnesses and practical steps in developing a congregation that provides an informed, compassionate response to persons and families touched by severe mental illnesses. Three positive testimonials offering insight into the lived experience of mental illness could stand alone for Mental Illness Awareness programs, ordering levitra overnight delivery. The last section summarizes five steps toward developing mental health ministries—a video well worth the investment.

The Congregation: A Community of Care and Healing (Booklet)
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)/Presbyterian Serious Mental Illness Network

If your congregation needs a place to start in mental health awareness and education, this six-unit serious mental illness resource would be an excellent guide. The first two sections on mental illness cover the myth and reality of mental illnesses, its definitions, signs and symptoms and pointers for reaching out and responding to those with a mental illness and their families, levitra over the counter. Section three offers pastoral resources such as prayers, responsive readings, sermon starters and hymn suggestions, and statements and resolutions. Sections four, five and six provide resources for youth and adult studies and a short list of organizations and books. Though this is a concise, practical handbook developed to help Presbyterian churches carry out the mandate of their 1988 resolution on "The Church and Serious Mental Illness," it can easily be adapted by other faith traditions for adult and youth study groups. (Note: After clicking on the title above, scroll down the "Serious Mental Illness Resources" Web page to find this resource.)

Fierce Goodbye: Living in the Shadow of Suicide (Video)
Produced by Mennonite Media in Cooperation with Faith and Values Media. Levitra over the counter, Duration: 44 minutes.

This documentary won four major awards in the 2005 World/fest—Houston Film Festival. It is hosted by Judy Collins, folksinger, author of Sanity and Grace, and survivor of her son's suicide. Also featured is Kay Redfield Jamison, professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University. Fierce Goodbye offers hope and healing and presents a difficult subject from experiential, spiritual, medical, and theological viewpoints. Additional resources, articles, sermons, links, and a place to share stories and experiences are offered on the Fierce Goodbye Web site, levitra over the counter. As with other resources listed here, click on the title to link to the resource provider. You may also order it by dialing 1-800-999-3534 (US) or 800-565-1810 (CN).

Gifts of the Shadow (Video)
Duration: 25 minutes.

In this companion to the book In the Shadow of God’s Wings, Susan Gregg-Schroeder explores the spiritual gifts she has gained through her struggles with depression: vulnerability, discovery of one’s authentic self, patience, Ordering levitra no prescription, living with paradox, creativity, and hope. Levitra over the counter, The video and accompanying discussion guide would be suitable for adult Christian education classes or small group study, and is particularly recommended for use with In the Shadow of God’s Wings.

Honest Talk about Serious Mental Illness
(Video and Study Guide) Office of Health Ministries, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Bridge Resources

With an estimated twenty percent of American children suffering from a diagnosable emotional or behavioral disorder, the Presbyterian Church Serious Mental Illness Network has taken steps to educate young people. With the leadership of youth leaders, teens can use this excellent video and study guide to learn the difference between what is normal and what may be signs of serious mental illness - for the sake of their own health and that of their friends. They will discover the various causes, symptoms of and treatment for depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders. In addition, they will explore the role of the family, community and church in supporting persons with these treatable brain disorders. Excellent materials for middle school and high school youth groups, levitra over the counter. (Note: After clicking on the title above, scroll down the "Serious Mental Illness Resources" Web page to find this resource.)

In the Shadow of God's Wings: Grace in the Midst of Depression (Book)
Susan Gregg-Schroeder, Author. Nashville: Upper Room Books, 1998.

Written by a United Methodist minister who has struggled with clinical depression, In the Shadow of God’s Wings offers moving insights into the personal struggles and spiritual lessons that can be learned from the dark journey through mental illness. Five chapters deal with the journey into, through, and out of chronic, debilitating depression. Levitra over the counter, The author reveals insightful viewpoints from having wrestled with the philosophical and theological questions and biases that move her through suffering to renewal. A companion video, Gifts In the Shadows, is also available, along with a group study guide. The book, video, and group study guide would be suitable for adult Christian education classes or small group study.

Including People with Disabilities in Faith Communities: A Guide for Service Providers, levitra without a prescription, Families, and Congregations (Book)
Erik W. Carter, Author. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing, 2007

Erik Carter establishes a strong case for congregations to examine closely and take serious their claim (if they have made it) that their faith community welcomes all people, levitra over the counter. The book addresses deeper meanings of hospitality, belonging, community, natural supports and reciprocity. Carter also offers practical suggestions for designing religious education programs, for becoming more responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities and how to tap into the community resources of providers and other agencies. He writes as Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Here is an excellent book for church leadership and lay groups to study.

Living with Loss Levitra over the counter, (Book)
Dan Moseley, Author. Nashville, TN: Xyzzy Press, 2008.

Out of his own grief and loss, Moseley shares the gradual, gentle processes of letting go and starting over that brought him healing and hope. Whether these turning points result from personal choices or circumstances beyond our control, or both, Moseley leads us to better understand and grow through the ten stages of adjusting to new chapters in our lives. The reader will sense Moseley's authentic sensitivity, and find the book useful for small group study, personal reading or pastoral care giving.

Mental Illness and Faith Community Outreach (Web Resource)
Deacon Tom and Rita Lambert, Authors, levitra over the counter. Chicago, IL: Archdiocese of Chicago, 2006.

The Lamberts have created several short, practical resources in this 22 page downloadable document for educating churches about mental illness. The web site www.miministry.org was developed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago Commission on Mental Illness and Faith and Fellowship for People with Mental Illness. Sections that can be used in bulletin inserts, education classes and newsletters cover a wide range of subjects including the need, West Virginia WV W.Va. , the faith community's role, a theological framework for ministry, prayers, facts, and a sample workshop. Levitra over the counter, Suitable for individual use, but especially for those in leadership, teaching roles.

Mental Illness and Your Town: 37 Ways for Communities to Help and Heal (Book)
Larry Hayes, Author. Ann Arbor, MI: Loving Healing Press, 2009.

If you are not already aware of the myriad of challenges faced by individuals and families living with chronic mental illness, this book will certainly open your eyes. Mental health advocates and social justice teams will find a wealth of practical and much-needed steps to increase public awareness and empathy towards those challenged by mental illness, to improve services and to break down barriers to treatment. Suggestions are arranged in categories from simple & inexpensive to more ambitious projects that require time, team-work and funding, levitra over the counter. Suitable for either individual or group study and action.

Mental Illness Awareness Interfaith Worship Resources (Booklets)

Worship Resources; The Bible as a Resource: Materials for Sermons and Articles; and Caring Congregations: Observations and Commentary are three booklets in a series which provide poems, scripture, sermon starters, readings, prayers, sample services, and reflections—a wealth of ideas and materials to use during the first week of October, Mental Illness Awareness Week, or during May, Mental Health Month.

No Longer Alone (Book and Video)
John Toews and Eleanor Lowen, Authors. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1995. Levitra over the counter, A book and two-part video set designed for the faith community, No Longer Alone forms an outstanding foundational study of mental health issues. The ten video sessions, capturing seminars presented by Christian psychiatrist John Toews, are an essential teaching aid to the book. In each chapter, four sections—Opening Thoughts, billiga levitra apotek, A Story, Focus, and Search—weave relevant inspirational material into an exploration of mental health and mental illness issues. Toews and Eleanor Loewen first cover What Is Mental Health?, Mental Health and Life Stages, Who Sinned?, and The Need for Healing. In these and the following sections, Bible passages support and complement the psychological, social, and biological material. Each lesson ends with a set of questions that provide opportunity for reflection and response, levitra over the counter. For example, in the chapter entitled The Need for Healing, the questions include, “What is your definition of sin. How would you describe the relationship between sin and spiritual well-being. How do we minister to persons who fear getting healed or cured?” The authors have created a unique resource suitable for adult Christian education courses in small or large group gatherings.

Nobody Knows: The Church and Depression (Video)
Distributed by Seraphim Communications, Inc. Levitra over the counter, Duration: 20 minutes

"It’s not OK to talk about how bad you feel for fear of being criticized or judged a weak person, a failure." "It was like living on the edge of suicide. It’s not that I wanted to die, but that I couldn’t stand to think of living the next thirty minutes." These are the sentiments of persons who, despite their dark and long journeys with clinical depression, are living successfully as survivors. Current research shows that 1 in every 10 men, and 1 in every 5 women, suffer from depression before the age of 40. Nobody Knows presents excellent material for opening a dialogue on this common emotional disorder. In addition to sharing the spiritual and emotional struggles of depression, the video describes the healing role of the faith community. Every congregation needs a forum and opportunity to learn and talk about depression, levitra over the counter. With a facilitator guide offering introductory material and follow-up activities, this film provides a non-technical but educational resource for small group study.

Overcoming Hurts & Anger: Finding Freedom from Negative Emotions (Book)
Dwight L. Carlson, Arizona AZ Ariz. , M.D., Author. Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2000. Levitra over the counter, Dr. Carlson—specialist in both internal medicine and psychiatry, and a diligent student of the Bible—has written another valuable resource for those who struggle with anger. After a broad and careful exploration of the problem ("Misconceptions about Anger," "Camouflaging Anger," "The Catastrophic Results of Mishandled Anger"), the book explores "Biblical Principles about Anger," and offers several chapters on handling anger and communicating constructively. This would also be a valuable resource for pastoral and lay counselors.

A Place To Come Back To: Mental Illness and the Church (Video)
Distributed by Seraphim Communications, Inc. Duration: 29 minutes, levitra over the counter.

A Place to Come Back To provides an excellent theological and practical launching point for churches considering ways to reach those with mental health problems. While it confronts the viewer with the potential devastation facing many suffering from mental illness, the film presents alternatives to ignoring the problems. For example, one congregation offers a monthly fellowship meal, with music and entertainment involving mentally ill guests from nearby group homes. Another medium-sized inner city church provides hot meals and a place to sleep. Levitra over the counter, In another congregation, a father pleads for someone to befriend his son—someone to call and spend time with his son. The role and value of the church in the lives of those living with mental illness is highlighted. Conversely, the gifts and contributions of persons with mental illness are also stressed. The church not only gives care, but receives blessings. A Place to Come Back To provides striking facts about mental illness and workable examples of how the church can reach persons and families living with mental illness. For small groups desiring to begin a ministry in this area, and as a tool for educating the entire congregation, this video is a significant resource, levitra over the counter.

Serious Mental Illness: Seeking a Comprehensive Christian Response (Web Resource)
Task Force on Serious Mental Illness, Developer. Louisville, KY: Advisory Committee on Social Witness, PCUSA, 2006.

This short curriculum is a Church-wide Study Document developed by the Task Force on Serious Mental Illness of the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy of the Presbyterian Church USA, kopen goedkope levitra. Written for four one-hour study groups, the sessions discuss (1) What is Serious mental Illness. Levitra over the counter, (2) Serious Mental Illness in Context; (3) Biblical and Theological Perspectives on Mental Illness; and (4) the Churches' Ministry with Serious Mental Illness. Each session begins with a scripture setting and ends with discussion questions and prayer. Appropriate for college age through senior adult discussion groups.

Shadow Voices: Finding Hope in Mental Illness (Video)
Produced and distributed by Mennonite Media. Duration: 58 minutes.

This hour-long video "deals with stigma, recovery, and hope regarding mental illness." Ten persons from amny sectors of American life tell their stories while mental health experts and advocates add perspective and insights, levitra over the counter. Among the film's featured guests are U.S. First Lady Rosalyn Carter and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher. Levitra over the counter, This film helps support families who have a mentally ill loved one, and helps congregations know better how to relate to those living with mental illness.

Souls in the Hands of a Tender God: Stories of the Search for Home and Healing on the Streets (Book)
Craig Rennebohm with David Paul, Authors. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2008.

For those who dare to better understand and minister to homeless people on the streets who struggle with mental illness, Souls in the Hands of a Tender God will challenge complacency and stereotypical thinking. Rennebohm and Paul's poignant stories demonstrate the value of each person and illustrate what true companionship looks like. Chaplain Rennebohm's own battles with serious depression have gifted him with deep insight into human frailty and God's gracious presence in suffering, levitra over the counter. With or without the companion discussion guide, Conversations, this book is excellent for personal reading or adult education classes, especially those of urban churches.

Strength for His People: A Ministry for Families of the Mentally Ill (Book)
Steven Waterhouse, Author. Amarillo, TX: Westcliff Bible Press, 1994.

Speaking from the experience of having a brother with schizophrenia, Pastor Steven Waterhouse shares the painful impact of mental illness on a Christian family. Levitra over the counter, While the author does not speak out strongly on the biochemical origins of brain disorders, he carefully brings to the forefront several concerns seldom addressed in other materials—particularly the valid and invalid theories of schizophrenia’s causes and the relationship of psychiatry to religion. Other difficult issues addressed are the emotional response in the family and the eternally tough question, Why do bad things happen to good people. With a frank discussion on differentiating schizophrenia from demon influence, this work is extremely thought provoking for individual or small group study. Generic levitra, Walking Together: The Community of Faith and Mental Illness (Curriculum)
Archdiocese of Auckland, New Zealand, Developer. St. Louis, MO: Pathways to Promise, 2006, levitra over the counter.

Pathways to Promise publishes this "training workshop for faith communities interested in supporting people with mental illness in their worship and community life." The materials are designed for a one-day 3-5 hour session for committed church-goers, who are willing to take a journey of discovery about themselves as they learn about mental illness. Teaching suggestions and visual aids are supplied with the core content.

What Should I Know about Someone Who Abuses Alcohol or Other Drugs. (Booklet)
Charles E. Levitra over the counter, Dodgen, Ph.D., Author. Holmes Beach, FL: Learning Publications, 1998.

Family and friends who suspect a loved one of sub-stance abuse will find help in this short booklet. It addresses the most elementary questions: What is …substance abuse. Why do people abuse drugs. If someone I love shows signs of substance abuse, what should I do, levitra over the counter. Where is treatment available. How should I choose a therapist. How long should treatment last and what kinds of changes can be expected. What can be done to prevent relapse. Levitra over the counter, The booklet would be helpful to clergy, lay counselors, Stephen Ministers, and family members who have little or no training in substance abuse issues and who feel responsible to encourage change.

Why Do Christians Shoot Their Wounded?: Helping (Not Hurting) Those with Emotional Difficulties (Book)
Dwight L. Carlson, Author. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994.

Although its title refers to Christians, this book addresses biases and misinformation that are not unique to Christian communities. Dwight Carlson, a physician and psychiatrist, cites scientific evidence to restore peace and dignity to those who have been told by well-meaning individuals that their mental illness is due to sin, spiritual weakness, or lack of faith, levitra over the counter. Pointing to substantial research findings, Carlson takes issue with prominent Christian writers and speakers who over-simplify emotional distress. “Many Christians who speak or write on emotional symptoms such as depression, anxiety, phobias, or obsessive thoughts don’t have the faintest idea how enormous these infirmities can be.” Carlson’s book outlines the complexity of causes that lead to emotional illness: biological and genetic factors, developmental and environmental influences, and personal life style choices, order levitra pills. The author follows these arguments with constructive positions for the church to take. Another unique aspect is the appendix, entitled “Are Drugs of the Devil or Tools for Healing?” This book will enable pastoral care providers and others to gain a new perspective on mental and emotional illness. Levitra over the counter, In addition, it will provide plenty of material for discussion in small or large groups.

Why You Should Give Your Pastor a Sabbatical (Video)
The Alban Institute, Distributor. Duration: 50 minutes (two 25-minute segments)

The constant overwhelming demands on pastors often unnecessarily lead to burnout and/or frequent turn over in pastoral appointments. With forethought and wise budgeting, however, every church can enhance their pastor's spiritual, emotional and mental health by offering a sabbatical. This in turn will lead to greater vitality in his/her leadership and in the church itself. This video lays out the why's and how's in two parts, levitra over the counter. Especially appropriate for lay leaders, elders and church board members.

For Pastoral Caregivers

Care Notes (Pamphlets)
Writers from One Caring Place, Authors. St. Meinrad, IN: One Caring Place (imprint of Abbey Press). Levitra over the counter, These short (8-10 page), inexpensive, and sensitively written Care Notes pamphlets deal with a wide variety of spiritual, mental and emotional challenges for people of all ages and stages of life—children, teens, parents, single adults, and seniors. They are based on current medical and counseling practices, and offer further reading suggestions at the end of each positive, balanced piece. Sample topics range from grief, serious illness, depression, anxiety, chronic illness, and anger to forgiveness, stress, unanswered prayer, and addiction. One Caring Place (an imprint of Abbey Press) offers these in bulk rates for individual use, or church foyer display stands. An excellent tool for chaplains, Ordering levitra online legally, counselors, and individuals who care.

The Caring Church: A Guide for Lay Pastoral Care (Book)
Howard W, levitra over the counter. Stone, Author. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1993.

Since pastoral care can easily consume a large portion of a pastor’s week, most clergy wish for a pool of trained lay persons to assist with visiting and personal caregiving. Here is a thorough, yet easy-to-use, resource for training such a pool. Levitra over the counter, Howard Stone, professor of pastoral psychology at Brite Divinity School, first builds the theological foundation for lay pastoral care. He then provides lesson plans for eight training sessions: What is Pastoral Care?; The Care Relationship; Listening and Responding; Hospital and Shut-in Visitation; Care in Situations of Grief; Case Studies; Problem Solving and Referral; and Wrapping it Up. Recommended for group study and instruction.

Caring for the Soul (R'fuat HaNefesh): A Mental Health Resource and Study Guide (Book)
Richard F. Address, Editor. New York: URJ Press, 2003, levitra over the counter.

Caring for the Soul is a sensitively written resource for persons of all faiths. It presents a variety of suggested scriptures, sermons, and services in the section entitled, "How May We Use Jewish Liturgy to Address Mental Illness in Our Communities?" Other important questions are addressed in other chapters: "What Do Jewish Texts Have to Say about Mental Illness?"; "Whence Will Come Our Aid?: Jewish Readings of Comfort and Encouragement"; "What is Mental Illness. What Can Congregations Do to Help the Mentally Ill and Their Families?" Appendices include "Additional Resources" [organizations]; and "Responses and Resolutions Regarding Mental Illness." Clergy and worship planners would benefit from adding this to their library.

Christian Caregiving: A Way of Life (Book)
Kenneth C. Levitra over the counter, Haugk, Author. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 1984.

In this practical book, Kenneth Haugk (founder of Stephen Ministries) sets forth the value of a holistic approach to care-giving which combines the theological with the psychological. He outlines the pitfalls, advantages, goals, and resources of holistic care. He also urges a long-term, process-oriented approach to care-giving, pharmacie levitra bon marché. Particularly in the care of persons with serious mental illnesses, Haugk emphasizes the importance of listening and learning the needs of the care-receiver, levitra over the counter. With an accompanying Leader's Guide, this book is appropriate for small group or individual study.

Churches That Heal: Becoming a Church That Mends Broken Hearts and Restores Shattered Lives (Book)
Doug Murren, Author. West Monroe, LA: Howard Publishing, 1999.

Doug Murren knows both sides of the story when it comes to hurtful churches—as a senior pastor of a large church that effectively ministered to hurting parishioners from other less sensitive congregations, and as a respected Christian who lives with the unpredictable cycles of bipolar disorder. Levitra over the counter, Murren’s openness was and is not always well received by less informed fellow Christians. In this insightful book, he offers first hand wisdom on why churches don’t heal, what happens when churches don’t heal, creating a healing environment, and related topics. Murren holds another unique perspective—that of a conservative Christian with strong allegiance to Christ Jesus as the Great Physician, and a man who values the role of modern medical science for the treatment of severe mental illnesses and addiction. Here is an invaluable resource for every senior pastor, his staff, and lay leaders.

Depression Awareness and Suicide Prevention: Information Everyone Can Use (Web Resource)
Minneapolis, MN: SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education), 2004.

No clergy or congregation is immune to the ravages of mood disorders, levitra over the counter. Sadly, in more extreme cases, undiagnosed and untreated depression can be terminal. Every congregational leader needs awareness to perceive the seriousness of a parishioner’s depressive disorder or suicidal tendency. This Web resource describes the various types of depressive illnesses as well as their causes and treatments. Also discussed are the symptoms of various age groups, warning signs of suicide, and how to ask preventive questions. Levitra over the counter, This material is well suited for small group instruction or individual study.

A Healing Homiletic: Preaching and Disability (Book)
Kathy Black, Author. Nashville, Buy levitra overnight delivery, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996.

Here is an excellent book to heighten your congregation's sensitivity to the needs and special gifts of persons with different abilities. It offers new approaches to preaching the healing narratives of the four Gospels and challenges readers to distinguish between cure and healing. Speaking from first-hand experience with a disability, and from many years working with the deaf community, Rev, levitra over the counter. Black first explains the nature of blindness, deafness, paralysis, leprosy, chronic illness, and mental illness. In addition, she clarifies the various causes, treatments and adaptive measures. Black forthrightly examines the ways that faith communities overtly or unintentionally exclude persons with disabilities—whether through insensitive preaching that equates disabilities with sin or lack of faith, through inattention to the physical design of the building, or through false assumptions about the contributions and giftedness of person with disabilities. Recommended for every pastor and director of special ministries. Levitra over the counter, In the Shadow of Our Steeples: Pastoral Presence for Families Coping with Mental Illness (Book)
Stewart D. Govig, Author. New York: Haworth Press, Inc., 1999.

With a pastor’s heart, Stewart Govig shares first-hand the pain mental illness inflicts on individuals and families; his son suffers from schizophrenia. Govig paints convincing portraits of need, isolation, and ongoing loss due to mental illness. Most helpful, however, are assessments of realistic ways a pastor can become the “lead learner” for his congregation in fighting stigma, prejudicial language, and public bias against persons with mental illnesses, levitra over the counter. Busy clergy, who take seriously their responsibility to care for parishioners’ needs, will appreciate the inclusion of mental health ministry models, Bible study and discussion outlines, and a list of professional agencies to whom they can refer members in need of further support and education. In the Shadow of Our Steeples is a fine book for individual reading in pastoral care and health ministries.

The Integration of Psychology and Theology: An Introduction (Book)
John D. Carter and Bruce Narramore, order levitra, Authors. Levitra over the counter, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1979.

The times seem to be more ripe for this book than when it was published. Doctors and theologians now openly recognize that "there is a great deal to be gained from a continuing dialogue between psychology and theology." Although this book was written in 1979, it is unique and still available. No other resources reviewed for this web page have as thoroughly and precisely discussed the barriers to integrating psychology and theology—nor have they so thoroughly discussed the scope and process of such integration. After reading the authors' analysis of the positions and working assumptions informing both disciplines, the reader more fully understands why clergy and mental health professionals often feel uncomfortable working together. The authors effectively present four models of integration (or lack of it), levitra over the counter. They conclude by outlining the best integration model from their orthodox Christian position. An excellent resource for all pastoral counselors, whether they are professional or lay persons.

The Meaning of Faith and Mental Illness (Book)
Greg Denniston, Author. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2006. Levitra over the counter, The questions that arise at the intersection of faith and mental illness are not easily answered. Greg Denniston wrestles with these questions through his experiences as chaplain, therapist and consumer of mental health services. He recounts his journey to recovery using his theological training to explore making meaning out of the pathologies he experienced. Several Bible passages are examined with candor and humility. To some it may seem that Denniston poses unorthodox interpretations and language in discussing familiar passages, but his book will spawn vibrant group discussion about the struggles of Christians who live with mental illness.

Pastoral Care of the Mentally Ill: A Handbook for Pastors (Book)
J.A, levitra over the counter. Davis, Author. Parkland, FL: Univeral Publishers, 2000.

Having served for over ten years as a psychiatric hospital chaplain and ordained Episcopal priest, Rev. Davis offers stories from a wide background of experiences working with adolescents and adults—both in the chaplaincy and as a teacher of special needs adolescents. Levitra over the counter, Using the anecdotal approach, he provides the reader with insight into four major mental illness: eating disorders, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, and schizophrenia. Rev. Davis offers clinical considerations about each illness and wisdom about pastoral concerns unique to each. For individual study.

The Pastor’s Guide to Psychological Disorders and Treatments (Book)
W. Brad Johnson and William L, levitra over the counter. Cheap levitra online, Johnson, Authors. New York: Haworth Press, Inc., 2000.

Father and son, both psychologists, bring together this easy-to-read manual for assessing psychological and psychiatric disorders. The authors include chapters on maladaptive personalities and childhood and relationship problems. Levitra over the counter, Each chapter explains the disorders, provides a summary and pastoral guidelines, and features sidebars listing key indicators of each illness. The exploration of mental health treatment includes descriptions of various types of therapy, psychiatric medications, alcohol and drug treatment programs, eating disorder treatment programs, hypnosis, and electro-convulsive therapy. The authors also examine the value and problems of self-help books, as well as books recommended by Christian psychologists. Summaries of the ten top-rated self-help books and guidelines for evaluating self-help books are provided. A discussion of ethical standards and strategies for responding to unethical behavior rounds out this useful tool for any clergy or counselor’s library.

Pathways to Understanding: Manuals and a Videotape on Ministry and Mental Illness (Instructor and Student Manuals and Video)
Jennifer Shifrin, Author, levitra over the counter. St. Louis: Pathways to Promise.

Jennifer Shifrin has collected a helpful and versatile resource for clergy and lay leaders who work with congregants experiencing mental illness. Section I, The Faith Community and Mental Illness, includes a brief history of the faith community’s response to mental illness, a basic introduction to the major mental illnesses, theological perspectives, and pastoral care issues. Levitra over the counter, Section II, The Person and the Family, provides a more in-depth study of the pastor’s role, when to counsel, when to refer, what to do in a crisis, and working with the family. Section III presents the printed scripts of the companion video. Section IV, The Community and Its Resources, includes information about mental health systems providers, agencies and organizations, legal issues, referral forms, New Mexico NM N.Mex. , and a listing of organizations that provide information, resources, referral, and support services. As well as defining mental illnesses and legal terms, the appendix offers tips on choosing a housing arrangement and locating a missing person. An extensive bibliography and denominational position statements on mental illness are also featured in this key resource for pastoral caregivers.

A Relentless Hope: Surviving the Storm of Teen Depression (Book)
Gary E, levitra over the counter. Nelson, Author. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2007.

Gary Nelson's story-telling gift, along with his expertise as a pastoral counselor and father of a teen who suffered with clinical depression, certainly hold the reader's attention. In addition, Nelson provides compassionate insights and practical suggestions for navigating the stormy years of teen depression. Levitra over the counter, With teen depression effecting many of our young people—even those from Christian homesmdash;this book is a must-read for more than family and friends. It will give youth workers, church and school teachers greater knowledge of the illness, sympathy for the teens and families and direction for what helps and what hurts.

Resurrecting the Person: Friendship and the Care of People with Mental Health Problems (Book)
John Swinton, Author. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000.

John Swinton confronts the notion that mental illness is not relevant to a faith community’s mission. He states, "This is a book about radical friendship, levitra over the counter. It is a call to the church to rediscover its prophetic roots in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and to reclaim its identity as the friend and protector of the poor, the outcast, and the stranger." As a former psychiatric nurse and mental health chaplain, the author unfolds the manifold dimensions of poverty and stigma forced upon the mentally ill by both society and faith communities. With prophetic force, Levitra discount, he advances a challenge to the church: solidarity and friendship with persons suffering from mental illness enables the church to embody Jesus' unconditional and liberating love. Swinton urges readers to examine their willingness to welcome "the stranger" and thereby help to resurrect the person behind the illness. A practical friendship-building model is outlined based on a partnership between psychiatric chaplain, congregation, and persons with mental health problems. Levitra over the counter, This book provides solid theological material for clergy and denominational leaders who dare to examine the premises and practices of their mission and ministry.

The Right Road: Life Choices for Clergy (Book)
Gwen Wagstrom Halaas, M.D., Author. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2004.

Achieving and maintaining overall health and well-being is a challenge for everyone in our fast-paced world. But for clergy, doctors and other caregivers, it is even more difficult. Who should know better than the wife of a pastor who also is a family physician, levitra over the counter. In The Right Road, Gwen Halaas speaks from first-hand experience about the importance of clergy and other care-givers developing life-style choices that promote physical, emotional, intellectual, relational, vocational and spiritual wellness. She offers sobering facts with practical suggestions and self-assessment tools. Admonitions from theologians and scripture are interwoven with questions for personal or group reflection. Suitable for group or individual study. Levitra over the counter, The Soul in Distress: What Every Pastoral Counselor Should Know about Emotional and Mental Illness (Book)
Richard W. Roukema, Author. New York: Haworth Press Inc., 1997.

Recognizing the demands and complexities facing pastors who minister to troubled parishioners, Christian psychiatrist Richard Roukema brings a unique perspective, compassionate professionalism, and a wealth of information to this book. Addressing both the common concerns and the conflicts of religion and psychiatry, he examines the roles that each plays in the lives of persons with emotional and mental health problems. Here the reader can find thorough presentations on a variety of illnesses, as well as advice on practical ways clergy can help, levitra over the counter. Roukema explains the roles of genetics, Maine ME Me. , heredity, biochemistry, parenting, and society in mental illness, and clearly distinguishes between brain diseases and disorders. In addition, his discussion of the historical perspectives and changes in mental health practice, analysis, and treatment conveys a true understanding of how misperceptions about mental and emotional illness have arisen. Most importantly, The Soul in Distress is peppered with wise advice to clergy. It offers approaches to counseling, warnings about "getting in over your head," and suggestions for the pastor’s own self-care. Levitra over the counter, This book will be a frequently used reference aid for every pastoral counselor.

Spirituality and the Healthy Mind: Science, Therapy, and The Need for Personal Meaning (Book)
Marc Galanter, M.D., Author. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2005.

Spirituality has gained acceptance and respect among psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, and therapists as a valid part of each person’s mental health care and prospects for improvement. Dr. Galanter, Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse at the New York University Medical Center, draws on 30 years of clinical experience and research as he addresses spirituality as impacted by culture, the varieties of spiritual experience, the spiritual recovery movements, and innovations in therapy, levitra over the counter. Recommended for individuals in pastoral care roles.

Suicide—A Christian Response: Five Crucial Considerations for Choosing Life (Book)
Timothy J. Demy and Gary P. Stewart, Editors. Levitra over the counter, Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998.

This collection of essays and articles requires us to re-examine our beliefs and recognize the complexities and multiplicity of issues relevant to suicide. Lowest price levitra, Part 1 (Legal and Medical Reflections) features articles by attorneys and medical professionals, such as "Roe v. Wade and the Euthanasia Debate," "The Management of Cancer Pain," and "A Nurse’s Perspective on Euthanasia." Part 2 (Philosophical Reflections) contains thought-provoking essays, such as Alister E. McGrath’s "The Price of Life." Parts 3 and 4 (Theological Reflections and Biblical Reflections) carry the discussion of suicide to deeper levels with articles entitled "A Theology of Death" by Dennis P. Hollinger, and "The Good Samaritan and the Euthanasia Debate" by H, levitra over the counter. Wayne House. The final section, Part 5 (Pastoral and Personal Reflections) brings the topic to a personal level with Joni Eareckson Tada’s "Decision Making and Dad" and Timothy C. Tatum’s "Pastoral Reflections on Suicide Intervention." A must-read for every pastoral counselor.

Walking Through the Valley: Understanding and Emerging from Clergy Depression (Book)
Robert Randall, Author. Levitra over the counter, Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1998.

While clergy are not immune to depression, "our grandiosity tends to keep us clergy from owning up to our depression or its possibility." So says Robert Randall, a pastor of the United Church of Christ and a clinical psychologist. But it’s not only grandiosity that keeps clergy from seeking help; they may also fear being perceived as weak and losing the confidence of their congregation and superiors. And they may wonder, "Who will be in charge if I take time off?" With candor and wisdom, the book’s introduction helps clergy own up to their own experiences with depression. Subsequent chapters invite readers to consider "diagnosing our depression," "determining how depressed we are," and exploring the "causes of our depression." Randall closes each chapter with down-to-earth recommendations for clergy, considering possible causes for their distress: the impinging situations, the meanings one lives by, and environmental, psychological, and physical processes. He also includes "renewal tasks" for clergy, levitra over the counter. Every minister or rabbi who has experienced either temporary or chronic depression will benefit from Randall’s encouragement, insights, and strategies for recovery.

When and How to Use Mental Health Resources (Book)
Kenneth C. Haugk, Author. St, Delaware DE Del. . Levitra over the counter, Louis, MO: Stephen Ministries, 2000.

The best lay and pastoral counselors know when they are "in over their head." Kenneth Haugk, founder and Executive Director of Stephen Ministries, writes from years of experience both as pastor and clinical psychologist. With real-life examples and insightful instruction, Haugk carefully lays forth the guidelines for referring a care receiver to a mental health professional. Every lay and pastoral counselor needs to take time to digest this material—for the sake of the care receiver, the care giver, and the integrity of the pastoral care program.

For the General Public

Addiction and Depression (Video)
Mental Health Ministries, Distributor. Duration: 24 minutes, levitra over the counter.

What is the correlation between substance abuse and mental illness, specifically major depression. Which is the cause. Which is the effect. The viewer sees this vicious cycle in the stories of three courageous individuals in recovery. Levitra over the counter, Before recovery began however, denial and dishonestly were part of their illness. Through the compassionate and persistent work with Dr. Clark Smith, they uncover the sources of their depression. Use this video for small groups of adults and teens.

Black and Blue: Depression in the African-American Community (VHS, CD, or DVD)
Annelle B. Primm, M.D., M.P.H., Author and Producer, levitra over the counter. Baltimore MD: Blue Rock Productions.

Based on her psychiatric research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Primm, current Director of the American Psychiatric Associations's Office of Minority and National Affairs, developed this resource which summarizes the major "pre-existing barriers to treatment associated with being a person of color, certain fervently held religious beliefs, distrust of the medical profession and language and literacy barriers to appropriate care." This 16-minute educational tool incorporates testimony from African Americans who have been treated for depression with a special focus on religious and spiritual beliefs. It is especially appropriate for adult small group study and useful for changing attitudes about depression and the efficacy of medication. Levitra over the counter, Available through Blue Rock Productions, 4226 Amos Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21215.

The Center Cannot Hold (Book)
Elyn R. Saks, Iowa IA , Author. New York, NY: Hyperion Books, 2007.

Elyn Saks writes both as law professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and adjunct professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. From this pinnacle of achievement she weaves a story of victory over her life-long episodes with schizophrenia, levitra over the counter. Her story will expand your thinking about future possibilities for those who are diagnosed with a serious mental illness. An easy read for individuals, full of insights about how persons cope and overcome.

Children of Jonah: Personal Stories by Survivors of Suicide Attempts (Book)
James T. Clemons, Editor. Levitra over the counter, Sterling, VA: Capital Books, 2001.

Get ready for a serious topic, but don't think you'll go away depressed. Yes, ninety percent of persons who commit suicide had a diagnosable mental illness, substance abuse problem, or both. Yes, depression and other mental illnesses can be life threatening, but with awareness, education and prevention measures in place, suicide can be prevented. These first-person accounts by attempters of suicide will inspire you. Their shear honesty, grit, and courage to turn life's worst into something beneficial is worth reading, levitra over the counter. See also OASSIS (Organization for Attempters and Survivors of Suicide in Interfaith Services) described elsewhere on this Web page. Most suitable for individual reading, but could be used for group discussion.

EndingSuicide.com (Web Resource)

EndingSuicide.com is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. It offers a customized search engine for suicide prevention resources in the federal and state arenas. Levitra over the counter, Links to research and clinical trials are offered. Information for families and community members is available through educational articles, resources, and tools—as well as links to information about at-risk groups (the elderly, gays and lesbians, the incarcerated, billige levitra Apotheke, the medically ill, the mentally ill, people of color, and youth). a resource locator for crisis, treament, and prevention sites is provided.

Energize Your Life: Overcoming Fatigue & Stress (Book)
Dwight L. Carlson, M.D., Author. Fearn, Scotland: Christian Focus Ltd., 2003, levitra over the counter.

Most Americans fill their lives with too many good things. Add to these the events and demands that come unsolicited, both pleasant and otherwise, and you’ve got the recipe for fatigue and stress. Dr. Carlson uses his unique perspective as a Christian psychiatrist and medical doctor to provide here another immensely practical guide to getting life under control and feeling better. Levitra over the counter, He examines the drainers on our energy—external and internal stressors, biological (including mental) illnesses, spiritual illnesses. Then he discusses twelve energizers that empower our lives—including choices, pruning, reserves, thoughts, relationships and faith. Dr. Carlson’s book is another valuable resource for every pastor and layperson which could be adapted to small group study.

Families Coping With Mental Illness (Video)
Produced and distributed by the Mental Illness Education Project, Inc. Duration: 22 minutes or 43 minutes, levitra over the counter.

Allowing viewers to sit in on a discussion among family members who have a mentally ill relative, this film touches on various struggles, adjustments, needs, and lessons learned. Topics in the 22-minute version of the film include early nightmares, learning to have a life of one’s own, Virginia VA Va. , coping with persistent problems, and the ongoing nature of mental illness. The 43-minute version adds suggestions for survival, managing relatives’ money, holidays and other occasions, and families and the mental health system. Families Coping With Mental Illness is appropriate for family support groups or small groups who wish to gain a greater appreciation for the challenges faced by the families of those with mental illnesses. Levitra over the counter, I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help. (Book)
Xavier Amador, Author, with Anna-Lisa Johanson. Peconic, NY: Vida Press, c2000.

Finally. Now family members, clergy and counselors have a practical guidebook on how to work more productively with mentally ill persons who deny their illness and refuse medication. Dr, levitra over the counter. Amador’s research and clinical experience is shared in layman’s language that translates readily into real life situations, giving hope to one of the most common, emotionally draining problems in mental health treatment: lack of insight. Amador’s own frustrations with his brother, who has schizophrenia, served as the impetus for his pioneering research and this book’s down-to-earth advice. Here is an essential book for everyone trying to help mentally ill persons and their families.

If Your Adolescent Has Schizophrenia: An Essential Resource for Parents (Book)
Raquel E. Levitra over the counter, Gur, Ann Braden Johnson, Authors. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2006.

This book is one of a series by various authors which includes If Your Adolescent Has … depression, an eating disorder, or an anxiety disorder. Gur and Johnson write with both expertise and empathy. Their combination of medical knowledge and familiarity with the incredible challenges facing families with a mentally ill teen, makes this book invaluable. Sections include understanding the disorder, getting the right treatment, coping in everyday life, prevention challenges, and a call to action, levitra over the counter. Endorsements are written by NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) and National Schizophrenia Foundation, bringing credibility to this valuable resource for parents, ostaa halvalla levitra, youth pastors, congregational health ministers, and clergy.

Mind Race: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with Bipolar Disorder (Book)
Patrick E. Jamieson, Moira Rynn, Authors. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2006. Levitra over the counter, The Adolescent Mental Health Initiative of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands has supported the creation of this book and others planned to follow for teens: depression, addiction, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and social anxiety disorder. Anonymous teen experiences with bipolar disorders help the reader feel the author understands the illness. The sections on "What Do Doctors Know about Bipolar Disorder," "Getting Help," and "The Psychiatric Ward" gives teens new insight into the illness, treatment options, and what to expect if they need to be hospitalized. Final sections include "The Illness is not Our Identity" and "Frequently Asked Questions." This book and others would be suitable for youth pastors, parish nurses, and teens with a diagnosis.

A Mood Apart: The Thinker’s Guide to Emotion and Its Disorders (Book)
Peter C. Whybrow, Author, levitra over the counter. New York: Harper Perennial, 1997.

Everyone experiences mood swings to some degree, but Dr. Peter Whybrow’s book focuses on the extremes of mania and melancholia that threaten normal relationships and productive behavior. Asserting that the path to understanding mood and its disorders is found only by integrating biological and psychological perspectives, he presents an approach that combines objective science with compilations of his patients’ life experiences. Levitra over the counter, In the prologue, Whybrow states that the book is a "digest of what I know and what intrigues me as a practicing physician, about emotion, mood, and the emotional brain, about how the emotional self can become disordered, and about the treatment of those disordered states." Those who minister to persons affected by mood disorders will want to consult the findings of this book.

My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey (Book)
Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D., Author. New York, NY: Viking Penguin, 2008. Missouri MO Mo. , This Harvard brain scientist relates her own amazing story of recovery from a massive left-brain hemorrhage that left her unable to walk and communicate with anyone. Through this devastating experience her right-brain remained unaffected, giving her new appreciation and insights. Because of her in-depth understanding of brain biology, Taylor records with unusual clarity the stages of decline in her motor, verbal and cognitive processes as the stroke took place, levitra over the counter. Then with equal fascinating detail, she unfolds the agony, persistence and courage that led to her recovery. Readers will be encouraged to believe in fuller recovery for stroke patients, and to understand the value of living more balanced lives by discovering the role of right-brain and left-brain functions.

Out of Darkness: The Journey To Hope (Book)
Bruce Van Dusen, Author. Martinsville, IN: AirLeaf Publishing, 2006. Levitra over the counter, For those who want to better understand the vicious cycle of mental illness and substance abuse, Van Dusen's book is a candid story of relapse, strength and survival. Simple and unpolished, the book relates the twists and turns in and out of treatment programs. Hope and courage mark Van Dusen's journey into a new life. This is revealing and excellent reading for persons who struggle with dual diagnosis (mental illness and substance abuse) and for their caregivers.

Out of the Darkened Room: Protecting the Children and Strengthening the Family When a Parent is Depressed (Book)
William R. Beardslee, M.D., Author, levitra over the counter. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 2002.

Depression is said to be the "common cold" of mental health. Few people go through life without experiencing it to some degree. Sadly, it is one of the most unrecognized and untreated biological illnesses, and can wreak havoc on family life. Levitra over the counter, As a result of years of clinical practice and research, Dr. Beardslee and his colleagues discovered "in family after family that the fear and shame that cause people to suffer in silence are simply not justified. Many children raised in the most challenging of circumstances overcome their difficulties and become remarkably healthy and happy adults. Parents put under extreme pressure by depression have demonstrated time and again that there are specific actions and strategies that they can employ to promote healthy development in the children." Dr. Beardslee writes, "In this book, I hope to explain these possibilities to a wide audience and to help families affected by depression learn to use these strategies."

The book explains, in lay language, the biological basis, diagnosis, Vermont VT Vt. , and treatment of depression. Then it follows the process of recovery and family strengthening: "Resilience in Action"; "Enhancing Strength and Reducing Risks"; "Breaking the Silence: The Family Meeting and After"; "The Children: Understanding Depression Anew Over Time"; "Facing the Threat of Suicide"; and "Making Peace and Moving On." A most helpful book for personal study, levitra over the counter.

Overcoming Stigma, Finding Hope (Video)
Mental Health Ministries, Distributor. Duration: 21 minutes.

This video helps break down several misconceptions perpetuated by media, popular opinion, and even insurance companies who deny equal coverage for mental disorders. Four professionals unfold their journey and recovery from major depression and severe anxiety disorder, describing how they first resisted treatment due to their own misunderstanding about mental illness. Levitra over the counter, By hearing their stories, we see that mental illnesses are biological brain disorders which—with proper treatment—do not have to lead to total disability or long term hospitalization.

SHOCK: The Healing Power of Electroconvulsive Therapy (Book)
Kitty Dukakis, Larry Tye, Authors. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2006.

For those who want the first-person pro's and con's and the factual angles on electroconvulsive therapy, Kitty Dukasis and Larry Tye provide this broad approach to understanding the benefits and risks, the history of and science behind shock treatment. The book lays bare the fear, complications, and controversies surrounding electroconvulsive therapy and balances these with honest cautions and considerations for those whose depression has not responded to medications. A hope-filled resource for individual or group reading, bound to stimulate discussion and challenge assumptions, levitra over the counter.

Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Consumers, and Providers (Fourth Edition) (Book)
E. Fuller Torrey, Author. New York: Harper Collins, 2001.

"An indispensable guide to today’s most misunderstood illness." So reads one description of this classic guide for people affected either directly or indirectly by schizophrenia. Levitra over the counter, Dr. Torrey is one of today’s most highly respected authors and educators, specializing in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This latest edition contains the most current research findings on the causes and treatment of schizophrenia. Clergy, pastoral counselors, health ministry workers, family members, and others wanting to learn more about this very treatable brain disorder will appreciate the book, written in easily understood language.

When Someone You Love Has A Mental Illness: A Handbook for Family, Friends, and Caregivers (Book)
Rebecca Woolis, Author. New York: Tarcher/Putnam Publishers, 1992, levitra over the counter.

Speaking from almost twenty years of experience as a licensed counselor, Rebecca Woolis has pulled together one of the most practical and helpful resources for family and friends of the mentally ill—especially those new to the journey. Each chapter is full of sidebars designed to offer down-to-earth suggestions for almost any mental illness-related problem family and friends might encounter. Topics covered in this most essential guide include handling basic and more severe symptoms, coping with one’s own feelings, practical matters, and stigma. For family members with a mentally ill loved one, clergy, pastoral counselors, and congregational leaders wanting and needing to learn more about mental illness, this book is a must-read. Levitra over the counter, When Someone You Love Suffers from Depression (Video)
Produced by MEDCOM, Inc., 1995. Duration: 32 minutes

This film begins in black and white, symbolic of the world experienced by persons suffering from clinical depression. Along with presenting family stories, When Someone You Love discusses symptoms and causes of major depression, attitudes that hinder rather than help, sources and methods of treatment, tips on helping someone, reality and the challenge of stigma, and recovery expectations. A list of national organizations is also provided. This video is recommended for adult education classes or support groups.

Similar posts: Buy aricept cod. Buy soma c.o.d.. Buy aricept online cheap. Buy cheap cafergot online. Order cafergot no prescription. Order cafergot without prescription.
Trackbacks from: Levitra over the counter. Levitra over the counter. Levitra over the counter. Levitra over the counter. Levitra over the counter. Levitra over the counter.

Buy aricept, Recommendations for faith communities interested in healing our nation’s Veterans from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, based on the work of Edward Tick, Ph.D.

“Post Traumatic Stress Disorder remains an ongoing challenge for veterans of all eras, and their families, online aricept. The images from the current war are causing many older veterans (WW II, Indiana IN Ind. , Korea, Viet Nam) to experience recurring PTSD symptoms from their own combat experiences.” ~National Veterans Foundation

The statistics regarding PTSD amongst veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are shocking, to say the least, ostaa halvalla aricept. In January of 2006, Cheap aricept online cheap, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 35% of Iraq veterans have already sought help for mental-health concerns. In 2005 the VA reported that 18% of Afghanistan Veterans, and 20% of Iraq Veterans in their care were suffering from some type of service connected psychological disorder, Iowa IA . Additionally, the VA has seen a tenfold increase in PTSD cases in the last year, buy aricept. According to the VA, Order aricept online, more than 37,000 vets of Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from mental health disorders, and more than 16, Virginia VA Va. ,000 have already been diagnosed with PTSD. Illinois IL Ill. , The National Veterans Foundation further reports that funding for VA mental health services “has declined by 25% over the past seven years, and numerous experts have expressed concern about the system’s capabilities to care for the full spectrum of readjustment needs (including mental health) of the newest generation of U.S. veterans, cheap aricept online legally. As a result, Kopen goedkope aricept, the VA depends increasingly on nonprofit, veteran community organizations to care for the large population of veterans who need treatment.”

While there are an increasing number of community resources seeking to address the reintegration needs of returning veterans, only a handful of organizations attempt to address the spiritual needs of veterans and their families, Nebraska NE Nebr. . Buy aricept, In his book War and the Soul, psychologist and author, Dr. Edward Tick offers a spiritual approach for healing our nation’s veterans from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Purchase aricept, Drawing on the first hand experience of combat veterans from several wars, War and the Soul is both powerful and disturbing, lending itself as an excellent resource for both individuals and faith communities seeking to offer healing support to returning veterans and their families, comprar aricept.

According to the author, Ordering aricept online, “the key to healing is in how we understand PTSD. In war’s overwhelming violence, the true self flees and can become lost for life.” He redefines PTSD as an identity disorder - a soul wound - with radical implications for therapy, aricept discount. “The formula for healing the war-wounded soul is simple: surround trauma with soul, buy aricept. Its application may be the most difficult and important work we ever undertake.”

Dr. Order aricept without prescription, Tick further states that healing is needed not only for the veteran, but for society as well…“our society must accept the responsibility for its war making. To the returning veteran, aricept kopen, our leaders and people must say, Cheap aricept no rx, “You did this in our name and because you are subject to our orders. We lift the burden of your actions from you and take your actions onto our shoulders. Buy aricept, We are responsible for you, for what you did, and for the consequences.”

Using War and the Soul as a primer, faith communities are in an ideal position to undertake this healing work, for the sake of our nation’s veterans and ourselves.

Since true change has always come about at the grassroots level, παραγγείλετε online aricept, the ideal place to start would be to select a local church community within which to develop a model based on the work of Dr. Ordering aricept no prescription, Ed Tick, a model which could then be replicated in other individual faith communities.

In this model, For aricept online, a local faith community would begin by identifying and recruiting veterans and/or family members to serve as guides and mentors. Rabatt kaufen aricept, Working together with other concerned community members, the group would develop rituals for healing aimed at both the individual and the community. Through storytelling, discount aricept, ritual and various communal activities, Cheap aricept online, War and the Soul demonstrates ways to heal the wounded soul by nurturing a positive identity based in compassion and forgiveness.

In addition to War and the Soul, Edward Tick also offers a website dedicated to healing PTSD, ordering aricept without prescription, www.soldiersheart.net “Our staff is available to educate communities in offering support services for veterans and families in their own hometowns. Soldier’s Heart also sponsors a mentor program for seasoned veterans to mentor new returnees.”

.

Similar posts: Soma over the counter. Buy cialis c.o.d.. Buy cheap cialis online. Order soma online cheap. Order soma without prescription. Buy levitra without prescription.
Trackbacks from: Buy aricept. Buy aricept. Buy aricept. Buy aricept. Buy aricept. Buy aricept.

Order cafergot, Injustice and the Case of Souls is a collection of essays. Orginally lectures for a class on Pastoral Care as if Oppression Matters, buy cafergot online cheap, Hawaii HI , the book is intended for pastors, therapists and social workers, cheap cafergot online cheap. Wisconsin WI Wis. , Among the writings is "Ableism: Oppression as Experienced by People with Disabilities," an essay on disabilities by Carolyn R, price of cafergot. Buy cafergot no prescription, Thompson, member of board of directors of the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries, Pennsylvania PA Penn. . Buy cafergot cheap, Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook, cheap cafergot, Cheapest cafergot online, author and editor, is the Academic Dean and the Suzanne Radley Hiatt Professor of Feminist Pastoral Theology and Church History at the Episcopal Divinity School, Nebraska NE Nebr. , Cheap cafergot tablets, Cambridge, Mass, Oregon OR Ore. . Köpa billiga cafergot, Karen B. Montagno, billige cafergot apotek, φτηνές φαρμακείο cafergot, editor, is an Episcopal priest and Dean of Community Spiritual Formation at Episcopal Divinity School, order cafergot, Osta cafergot, Cambridge, Mass, cheapest cafergot in the world. Acheter en ligne cafergot, Published by Fortress Press, 2009, cafergot online kopen. Order cafergot no rx. Buy cafergot online without prescription. Jotta cafergot verkossa. Order cafergot pills.

Similar posts: Buy cafergot online cheap. Buy soma without prescription. Order cafergot online cheap. Buy cheap soma online. Order levitra online cheap. Order levitra.
Trackbacks from: Order cafergot. Order cafergot. Order cafergot. Order cafergot. Order cafergot. Order cafergot.

Order aricept online cheap, The Reverend Craig Rennebohm was awarded the National Association of Mental Illnesses (NAMI) 2009 Richard T. Greer Advocacy Award recently at the NAMI national convention in San Francisco, Maryland MD Md. . Aricept online stores, RICHARD T. GREER was NAMI’s first legislative director and life-long grassroots advocate The award is given for leadership and vision that have resulted in
significant improvements on the state and/or national level, Arkansas AR Ark. . Ordering aricept no prescription, Craig has worked mightily to found and grow the Mental Health Chaplaincy in Seattle. The chaplaincy has made a tremendous difference in the lives of homeless people who live with mental illness and in the lives of their family members, loved ones, and neighbors, order aricept online cheap.

Further, order aricept from canada, Comprar aricept de descuento, Craig's advocacy to create an effective and readily accessible community mental health system in the Seattle area has brought lasting change to the community. The spiritual care that the chaplaincy provides to people in hospital and outpatient programs, acheter aricept discount, Where to buy cheap aricept, and the companionship training he has crafted for chaplains and others working within congregations to develop welcoming environments within religious communities is invaluable.

(Above notes are from the NAMI 2009 Convention Program, For aricept online. Cheap aricept pills, Http://www.nami.org). Order aricept online cheap, In a recent United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries communication, he said:

I'm grateful for the NAMI Advocacy award - especially as it represents a growing awareness and understanding of the role faith comunities can play in addressing stigma, modeling accessibility and inclusiveness and collaborating in social change.

He also commented that NAMI celebrated its 30th anniversary with significant gains to its credit, Washington WA Wash. . Order aricept online without prescription, There is also a recognition, he said, cheap aricept tablets, Buy cheap aricept, "of the challeneges still ahead - the injustice of mentally ill persons wandering our streets and being incarcerated; returning vets; a system inadequate to the growing number of children, young adults and elderly needing services, acheter aricept bon marché. Colorado CO Colo. , We still have a long way to go in providing appropriate care and housing for all - especially our most vunlerable and isolated sisters and brothers."

Craig is author of

Souls in the Hands of a Tender God: Stories of the Search for Home and Healing on the Streets

.

He represents the United Church of Christ Mental Illness Network on the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries Board of Directors, Om aricept online. Aricept prescription. αγοράζουν φτηνά aricept. Aricept cheap. Order aricept online legally. Aricept pedido en línea. Buy aricept pills. Köpa aricept online. Alaska AK .

Similar posts: Buy aricept no prescription. Buy levitra. Buy cafergot online cheap. Buy soma without prescription. Order cafergot online cheap. Buy cheap soma online.
Trackbacks from: Order aricept online cheap. Order aricept online cheap. Order aricept online cheap. Order aricept online cheap. Order aricept online cheap. Order aricept online cheap.

Buy cafergot cod, Pathways to Promise: Interfaith Ministries & Mental Illness presents the 2009 Faith-Based National Summit September 29-October 1 in Belleville, Illinois. South Dakota SD , Companions on the Road to Recovery from Mental Illness
Pathways for the 21st Century
Models of Ministry and Collaboration
explore  meet  connect

Pathways to Promise was formed to mobilize national faith groups and local congregations across the United States to reduce stigma and to support people with mental illnesses and their family members in the process of recovery. As a result, Texas TX Tex. , Oklahoma OK Okla. , the last two decades have seen exemplary models of ministry emerging in
congregations across the country. Come learn from the successes and help us establish new pathways for progress and collaboration, Virginia VA Va. . Alaska AK , Registration Deadline: September 15
Visit www.Pathways2Promise.org
ONE MIND
MENTAL ILLNESS MINISTRY
Changing the World
One Mind at a Time
onemindmentalillnessministry@yahoo.com
Registration packets will contain resource materials including the following & more:
 An Overview Document laying out the basic capacities we have and the challenges we face concerning access to treatment and supportive
systems of care for people with mental illness;
 A Discussion Paper on The Role of Local Faith Groups – congregations, synagogues, cafergot pharmacy, Idaho ID , mosques, temples, order cafergot cod, Arkansas AR Ark. , meetings – in supporting healing and
recovery;
 A Discussion Paper on The Role of Local Interfaith Collaborations and Partnerships with the wider community in fostering education, training, ordering cafergot online, Buy cafergot online, service and advocacy;
 A Discussion Paper on A National Training Initiative, envisioning a basic training to local communities and ready access to a core set of educational, kopen goedkope cafergot, Order cafergot without prescription, program and advocacy resources;
 A Discussion Paper on The Role of Mental Illness Networks and Specialized Mental Health Ministries in the life and work of our various faith
groups and traditions;
 An Issues Paper covering such topics as Returning Vets, Homelessness, cafergot cheap, Vermont VT Vt. , Cultural Competency, Dual Diagnosis, order cafergot c.o.d., Order cafergot online without prescription, an Aging Population, and the
Health of the Whole Person
Companions on the Road to Recovery Registration— Registration Deadline September 15, αγοράζουν φτηνά cafergot, Comprare cafergot, 2009
Name_______________________________________ Church/Temple Affiliation_____________________________
Home Address________________________________ Work Address ______________________________________
City______________________ State____ Zip_______ City ________________________ State____ Zip___________
Daytime Phone _______________________________ Profession _________________________________________
Email Address_________________________________ Degree ____________________________________________
Special needs ______________________________________________
Registration includes lunch and dinner on both Sep 29 & 30
Early Bird Registration by August 15, 2009 $150 _______
Regular registration Fee $165 _______
I cannot attend but would like to support
attendance for consumers and family
members by contributing $________
Amount Enclosed $_______
Are you interested in CEUs, cheap cafergot online. Yes____ No_____
041009
Mail this form to:
National Shrine of our Lady -Pastoral Dept
442 S, buy cafergot cod. Online cafergot, De Mazenod Dr.
Belleville, ordering cafergot no rx, Order cafergot online, IL 62223-1023
Check enclosed payable to:
National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows
 Visa  MasterCard  Discover  Am Ex
Credit Card# _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Expires _ _/_ _
Signature ______________________________________________
GENERAL INFORMATION
Conference Location and Room Reservations
The conference will be held at The National Shrine of our Lady of
the Snows in Belleville, IL., order cafergot, Generic cafergot, just 15 minutes from Downtown St.
Louis; 35 miles from St. Louis International Airport. Buy cafergot cod, Rooms are
available at the Shrine Hotel starting at a special rate of $58 (rate
valid until 9/15/09). For reservations call 800‐682‐2879. For directions
and info visit www.snows.org.
Additional rooms are available at the Ramada Inn Fairview Heights,
approximately 15 minutes from the Shrine. A special rate of $65 is
available until 9/8/09; mention group code P2P when making your
reservation. Call 800‐947‐0317 for reservations, buy cafergot cod. For more info visit
www.ramadafairviewheights.com.
For additional information please call Pathways at 314‐877‐6489,
email Pathways@mimh.edu, or visit www.Pathways2Promise.org.
This is an early printing of the brochure and subject to change.
COMING SOON:
Continuing Education Credit information
Choosing your breakout sessions
Transportation info
Exhibitor Information.

Similar posts: Order cialis online cheap. Order aricept without prescription. Buy cafergot without prescription. Order cheap soma online. Order aricept no prescription. Order cialis without prescription.
Trackbacks from: Buy cafergot cod. Buy cafergot cod. Buy cafergot cod. Buy cafergot cod. Buy cafergot cod. Buy cafergot cod.

Buy cafergot no prescription, Souls in the Hands of a Tender God: Stories of the Search for Home and Healing on the Streets by Craig Rennebohm with David Paul

What do people need when their brain chemistry is out of balance, when their thoughts and feelings are in disarray.

Chaplain Craig Rennebohm asked this query as he began the outreach ministry of Pilgrim United Church of Christ* that took him into the streets of Seattle. Nevada NV Nev. , There he walked side by side with people suffering from mental illness. He found the answer.

I introduced myself as a fellow human being, Tennessee TN Tenn. , a neighbor, Lowest price cafergot, and offered to be present. I looked for small ways to create islands of safety, little spaces of sanctuary, buy cafergot no prescription.

He concluded that the Spirit invites a partnership in the healing process, a partnership that, acheter cafergot bon marché, on the human side, Massachusetts MA Mass. , involves medicine, counseling, and companionship, For cafergot online.

Craig Rennebohm discerned the Spirit of companioning from biblical stories, Buy cafergot from canada, insights from Jeremiah's presentation of God as a gentle potter to the perceptivity of Christ when approaching Legion.

He learned the art of supportive companioning from the pastor who offered him the gift of a unique, listening presence, cafergot kopen. Craig's own companioned odyssey through a serious brain disorder had begun years earlier:

Something had been desperately amiss within my brain, Montana MT Mont. , and yet God still held me in relationship. Buy cafergot no prescription, Always, Dick had care for my soul my deepest identity, my wholeness as a person, the source, roots, and ultimate horizon of who I am as a human being. I was not defined by my illness; I was more: I was a person struggling with an illness….

Founder of the Mental Health Chaplaincy, buy generic cafergot, Rev. Minnesota MN Minn. , Rennebohm tells the Seattle story, his story and our story with such tenderness that no matter what ails us, we forgive ourselves for our own vulnerabilities, order cafergot online legally. We are drawn toward a new sense of God-acceptance, Rabatt kaufen cafergot, self-acceptance and the inclusion of all.

Rennebohm's journal is as God-intimate and moving as it is informative and practical, buy cafergot no prescription. He offers a harvest of study and insight in understanding serious brain illness, the pilgrimage of healing, acheter cafergot discount, and the importance of companionship throughout the journey of suffering. Køb billige cafergot, His tender words refresh our definition of faith as we discern the gentleness of God who creates room for us to be present with one another.

Throughout its three parts, "The Movement of the Spirit, ostaa halvalla cafergot," "The Life of the Soul, Where to buy cheap cafergot, " and "A Community of Tenderness," Souls in the Hands of a Tender God reveals how our most basic beliefs and the language of faith speak to the challenge of serious mental illness and help us to shape healing and meaningful lives together.

Rennebohm travels now, Rhode Island RI R.I. , nationwide and across the world, District of Columbia DC D.C. , assisting both cities and faith communities in the creation of their own Plymouth Houses of Healing, communal support centers that care for and include the most fragile, vulnerable, cafergot without prescription, and estranged among us. Buy cheap cafergot online, As a person with disabilities I have seldom felt quite so accepted, quite so challenged to persist as an advocate companion, or quite so heartened that faith communities can own our capacity to create the changes that will meet the needs of persons with serious brain illnesses, ordering cafergot online without prescription.

*See "Seattle Church Honored by UCC Disabilities Ministries" in United Church News, Köpa cafergot online, October-November, 2005 in Archives (Print Edition). http://www.ucc.org, Wyoming WY Wyo. .

Beacon Press, Cheap cafergot, May, 2008, $23.95, ISBN-13: 978-0807000427

Dee Brauninger, reviewer, and Craig Rennebohm sit on the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries Board of Directors.

Similar posts: Order levitra without prescription. Levitra over the counter. Order cialis. Buy cheap aricept online. Buy aricept no prescription. Buy levitra.
Trackbacks from: Buy cafergot no prescription. Buy cafergot no prescription. Buy cafergot no prescription. Buy cafergot no prescription. Buy cafergot no prescription. Buy cafergot no prescription.

Written by Barbara J. Newman This book gives teachers practical tips for helping students welcome kids who have disabilities into their classes at church or at school. Children with special needs are part of God's family. This book gives you practical tips for helping students welcome kids who have disabilities into their classes at church or at school. Chapters address specific conditions such as autism, visual and hearing impairments, emotional impairments, learning disabilities, language disorders, AD/HD, and much more. Also included are guidelines for churches, sample lesson plans, and devotions for families. Publisher: CRC Pubns (June 1, 2001) Also by Newman:

Autism and Your Church

More at Friendship Ministries Website: http://www.friendship.org.

Written by Barbara J. Newman This unique resource will help your church to embrace people with autism into the full life of your congregation. Autism has evolved from an unfamiliar term to an everyday reality for millions of people. Bookstore shelves are filled with resources that address how Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) affect children and adults at school, work, and home. But what about the church? What about your church? How can it become a welcoming place for individuals and families affected by ASD? This resource offers practical ways to welcome and include individuals with ASD into the full life of your congregation. It will enable your church to appreciate those with ASD as persons created in God’s image learn about five specific disorders included in ASD discover ten strategies for including people with ASD develop an action plan for ongoing ministry. Publisher: Faith Alive Christian Resource & Friendship Ministries (May 9, 2006) Also by Newman:

Helping Kids Include Kids with Disabilities

More at Friendship Ministries Website: http://www.friendship.org

Visit http://www.prayingwithLior.co/clergy.html for reviews of this DVD about an inclusive community and the religious coming of age of a young man with Down's syndrome. Ilana Tractman, producer and director

Annotated Bibliography In Souls in the Hands of a Tender God: Stories of the Search for Home and Healing on the Streets (Beacon Press, 2008), Craig Rennebohm with David Paul offer a selected bibliography of books. Books marked with an asterisk (*) in the list below are reviewed elsewhere in this website. Boisen, Anton. The Exploration of the Inner World: A Study of Mental Disorder and Religious Experience. Chicago and New York: Willett, Clark, 1936; reissued Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1971. Boisen, Anton. Out of the Depths: An Autobiographical Study of Mental Disorder and Religious Experience. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1960. Bhugra, Dinesh, ed. Psychiatry and Religion: Consensus and Controversies. Oxford, UK: Koutledge, 1996. Damasio, Antonio. Looking for Spinoza: Joy, Sorrow, and the Feeling Brain. New York: Harcourt, 2003. Galanter, Marc. Spirituality and the Healthy Mind; Science, Therapy, and the Need for Personal Meaning. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. Govig, Stewart D. In the Shadow of Our Steeples: Pastoral Presence for Families Coping with Mental Illness, Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, 1999. *Govig, Stewart D. Souls Are Made of Endurance; Survival of Mental Illness in the Family, Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, 1994. Gregg-Schroeder, Susan. In the Shadow of God's Wings: Grace In the, Midst of Depression, Nashville, TN: Upper Room Books, 1997. Howell, Patrick J. Reducing the Storm to a Whisper. Chicago: Thomas More Press, 1985. Howell, Patrick. A Spiritguide: As Sure as the Dawn through Times of Darkness. Lanham, MD: Sheed & Ward, 1996. Kenig, Sylvia. Who Plays? Who Pays? Who Cares? A Case Study in Applied Sociology, Political Economy and the Community Mental Health Centers Movement. Amityville, NY: Baywood, 1992. Koenig, Harold. The Healing Power of Faith: How Belief and Prayer Can Help You Triumph Over Disease. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. Nouwen, Henri J. M. The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society. Garden City, NJ: Doubleday, 1972. Oates, Wayne E. The Religions Care of the Psychiatric Patient. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1978. Rennebohm, Craig. Souls in the Hands of a Tender God: Stories of the Search for Home and Healing on the Streets. Beacon Press, 2008. My first reading of Rennebohm’s book brought tears to my eyes. It came at a time of my own family’s crisis over how to relate to one with schizophrenia. This book is not for the comfortable. It is for those who dare to better understand and minister to men and women living on the streets with mental illness. Souls in the Hands… will challenge complaceny and stereotypical thinking. Rennebohm’s poignant stories demonstrate what true companionship is like. His own battles with depression have gifted him with deep insight into human frailty and God’s gracious presence in suffering. A discussion guide makes this book a fitting choice for adult education classes. - Carole Wills, Reviewer Torrey, E. Fuller. Nowhere to Go: The Tragic Odyssey of the Homeless Mentally Ill. New York: Harper and Row, 1988. Zohar, Danah, with I. N. Marshall. The Quantum Self. New York: Morrow, 1990.

Souls in the Hands of a Tender God is a beautifully written, highly readable, inspiring book, authored by the Rev. Dr. Craig Rennebohm, a United Church of Christ Pastor and Chaplain. Craig artfully interweaves the spiritual, biological and medical aspects of living with brain disorders commonly known as mental illness. He shares deeply moving parables from his two decades of “companioning” persons with these disorders in his congregations and on the streets of Seattle, and from his own struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. Through sharing his life experiences, the author has gifted the reader with a practical vision of God’s unconditional love and the ever-present power of a healing presence in all our lives, as well as concrete ways of living this out in our own spiritual walk. As expressed by Craig Rennebohm, “It is my firm belief that in the act of becoming true neighbors to one another, we find the capacities to address local, national and world issues such as poverty and conflict, and find within ourselves the grace to develop the skills and strategies that make possible a world of peace and justice.” To learn more about this life-changing book, the author’s ministry and ways to engage the principles of companioning in your own life and your congregation’s life, go to www.tendergod.com. To find more resources on ministry with persons coping with brain disorders, see www.congregationalresources.org/mentalhealth.asp. Dr. Rennebohm serves as the United Church of Christ Mental Illness Network (www.min-ucc.org) representative on the board of the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries (www.uccdm.org). The Rev. Norma Mengel, Reviewer

“It is not the fact of my disfigurement that wears at my psyche. It is the fear and self-doubt of others, their very human concern about their own social acceptability, their worry about being unloveable and abandoned, which they project onto me.” - David Roche David Roche, the author of “The Church of 80% Sincerity,” is an excellent example of the working of the social model of disability. Roche was born with a large venous malformation on the left side of his face and neck. Surgeries and heavy radiation therapy in his infancy further contributed to an appearance that others can view as grotesque and frightening. With the face commonly being perceived as the locus of the human persona, Roche is judged as being disabled, even though in truth he meets none of the common physical criteria for disability. Roche has for years played with this in his stage work, particularly in his signature performance, “The Church of 80% Sincerity.” Now, in his book of the same name, he works this territory with his customary wry, warm wit. Humor is the most subversive of the arts. In “Church,” Roche uses it well to present a new paradigm for facial difference, one which effectively challenges the prevailing social definition of disability. Disability is not a tragedy or a reason for pity. It is not something to be atoned for, nor something to be cured. Instead, Roche claims, for him it has been a gift. He shows clearly how his disfigurement brought him to a deeper level of understanding of himself and of others. Roche says, “My face is unique. My experience is universal.” And he shows how all of us have an inner sense of being flawed, a fear of being unacceptable to others. There is no hint that Roche has transcended his perceived disability. Instead, it is clear that through it, he has come to be at one with himself. He has found wholeness through, and with, what at first seemed to be his flaws. That is the new paradigm, and it is a powerful one that flows right from the heart of disability culture. The Church of 80% Sincerity _David Roche. Perigee, $19.95 (160p) ISBN 978-0-399-53390-7 The church of the title is not a formal organization but a concept-"the church of choice for recovering perfectionists," Roche writes in a powerful little book that's part memoir, part inspirational handbook. "You can be 80 percent sincere 100 percent of the time, or 100 percent sincere 80 percent of the time. It's in that 20 percent area where you get some slack and you can be yourself." For Roche (now in his 60s), being himself has meant coming to terms with a face so severely disfigured by a benign congenital tumor that he's been spat at and called a monster. He was rejected from a seminary because, he was told, his appearance meant "people would not respect you as a priest." The loss of the fathers of the Holy Cross is the general public's gain. A performer and motivational speaker, Roche is frank and witty and incapable of resorting to sentimental pap. He's used to people staring at him, and he admits he's been tempted to respond to pestering, obnoxious boys by saying, "Well, my face is like this because when I was a little boy like you, I touched my wee-wee." He's well aware that people find him inspiring, but he doesn't try to hide his flaws, and that makes him more inspiring.

Written by Kevin Pettit, this book provides us with a view of what it is like to have a traumatic brain injury (TBI). It contains unedited excerpts from the diary of Pettit. TBIs occur frequently these days and affect more than 1.5 million people in America each year. The book is meant to give readers a view from the inside out of what it’s like to have a TBI, encourage readers find ways to avoid having or causing a TBI, and to make us laugh a little. Kevin, a Divinity Student at Illif, is working toward a Master of Arts in Specialized Ministry (MASM). He then plans to become a commissioned minister in the United Church of Christ and then work with churches in the UCC, churchs of other denominations and other faith groups to help them become opem and welcoming to visitors and members who are differently able. His book is available on CD as well as in hard cover and paperback. Xlibris Corporation (2003)

Serious Brain Disorders, formerly called Mental Illnesses Written by the Rev. Norma Mengel Invocation Creating, saving, and sustaining God, we thank you for creating us in your image, each having gifts that differ according to the grace given us, so that together we make up the whole body of Christ. Help us to learn new ways to encourage each other to develop our gifts to the fullest, to love one another with mutual affection, and to extend hospitality. May we be sensitive and helpful to one another in our areas of need. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen. ROMANS 12:1-13; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:4 ROMANS 12 HAS profound lessons for me as my spiritual journey leads me to reflect on the meaning of disability for myself personally and for ministry. From our human perspective, each of us comes with some kind of imperfect body. Some of us think we are too tall, some too short, some have arms or legs that are paralyzed, some have eyes that can't see, ears that can't hear, brains that are disordered, hearts that are weak. No matter the condition of our bodies, we are to give ourselves as a living sacrifice and know that we are holy and acceptable to God. We are made in God's image, and God wants our whole being. As we make this commitment of our whole selves, our minds are to be remade or transformed. We are not to model our thinking and behavior on the culture around us, but we are to let God's spirit within us, remake us so that our thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors are changed, enabling us to know God's will in all areas of our living. I will relate this passage to one area that has touched me deeply-attitudes toward persons who have what the "world" calls "mental illness" but accurately should be called "brain disorders:" Society would have us stigmatize, discriminate against, and exclude persons with these disorders from our "normal" world. Our transformed thinking would have our attitudes and actions be ones of love, acceptance, and hospitality. "Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.... Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality" (Romans 12:10,13). "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think.... For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us...... (Romans 12:3-6). Just as our human bodies have many parts, each with different functions, so it is with Christ's body. As The Living Bible puts it so vividly, "We are all part of Christ's body and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other and each needs the other. God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well:" Persons with brain disorders or any other disability have many abilities and gifts to contribute and are needed to make the body of Christ complete. One's disability does not define the person. Each person has gifts and needs that differ from another person's gifts and needs. All are essential for the body of Christ to function at its fullest. It is my belief that God created us to be interdependent, not independent or dependent. This is an area where we must not let ourselves be squeezed into the world's mold. Society teaches us that independence is to be valued above all else and that a state of dependence is to be avoided at all cost. I think this creates an attitude of pride, arrogance, and a sense of isolation, causing people to think of themselves more highly than they ought to think: "I made it, why can't you?" It causes people to think that they are selfsufficient, with no need for God and no need for others. One of the hardest things for anyone to do in our culture is to ask for help. And yet, Jesus told us, "Ask, and you will receive:" I believe our relationship with God is one of interdependence and our relationship with others is also interdependent, we are called to be one body. My particular story and calling leading me to this understanding of interdependence and giftedness started in my nursing student days as I learned the marvelous workings of the human body through a study of anatomy and physiology. It deepened on a personal level when our son became ill with a brain illness called bipolar disorder at the age of seventeen. In the depth of the pain, we experienced both a profound sense of God's comfort directly and through some members of the body of Christ and a profound awareness of the stigma, discrimination, and isolation toward these illnesses in society and the church. Our health insurance didn't consider these brain illnesses as physical illness, though the last time I looked, the brain is a very important member of the body. To this day, there is a great inequity in insurance coverage for needed treatment of brain illnesses. The congregation, of which we were a part at the onset of the illness, demonstrated transformed minds and attitudes and shared deeply their gifts of compassionate caring. Later, our life journey took us to a different part of the country and to a different congregation where few offered help, few visited when he was hospitalized or even asked about his welfare. We withdrew, became silent about the illness, and felt like modern-day "lepers:" It was only after we, as a family, found the joy of interdependence in support groups of other suffering persons, that we found new friends and were able to come out of "hiding," talk openly about the disability, become involved with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), become better educated, find the best treatment, and use these new gifts in the body of Christ to minister with and to other persons with their unique disabilities and abilities for the welfare of the whole body of Christ. As people met our needs, we were able to meet others' needs. Persons with identifiable disabilities have unique needs, but each also has unique gifts and is essential in making Christ's body whole. For starters, "we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God" (2 Corinthians 1:4). The ministry of presence is a great gift to offer. Our son has this gift and many others to offer the body of Christ. He has a beautiful tenor voice, a believing heart, and a compassionate spirit. He is a choir member, a generous person, an employee, a son, a brother, an uncle, and he has a recurring illness, bipolar disorder. His illness does not define him. He is not a manic-depressive. He is a person who has an illness who periodically needs help in caring for himself. He needs medication; he needs other people's respect, love, and prayers; he needs God's comfort and mercy. He does not need to be part of some marginalized, stereotyped group of people called "the mentally ill:' No, he is a person who is "fearfully and wonderfully made" in the image of God, who has been given unique gifts to use in making the body of Christ whole. We were created to be interdependent, members one of another, with all our gifts working together to make up the body. One person's disability is filled in by another person's ability. When any one of us, or a group of us, is excluded because of some lack of ability, we are prevented from using our God-given gifts to make Christ's body complete. Together let us make the beautiful mosaic that God intends. Reflection Questions 1. What are your strengths (abilities)? What are your weaknesses (disabilities)? 2. Can you describe a time when you recognized you were interdependent and needed the gifts and help of other people? How did you feel? 3. What is the world's view as it relates to persons with disabilities? How does this compare with the teachings in Romans 12? 4. Do you know anyone with a brain disorder? Are these persons an integral part of your church's life? If not, why not? 5. What are some of the ways your congregation or your family can practice hospitality so that all members of the body experience genuine love and each can be encouraged to develop their gifts so that the whole body is functioning as God intends? Litany One: We are called to proclaim the truth. Let us believe. All: This is true: Jesus said," I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." One: It is not true that persons with brain disorders or other disabilities are second-class citizens and must accept isolation, discrimination, and stigma. All: This is true: All people are made in the image of God and are people of worth, holy and acceptable to God. One: It is not true that brain disorders are weaknesses of character and cannot be treated. All: This is true: Brain disorders are treatable. One: It is not true that stigma, discrimination, and neglect shall have the last word. All: This is true: The church is called to take the lead in stamping out societal stigma and discrimination and to welcome and affirm all people as children of God, with gifts that differ according to the grace given us. One: It is not true that we were created to be all sufficient and independent. All: This is true: We were created to be interdependent-all a part of the body of Christ with different abilities and different work to do and it takes every one of us to make the body complete. Thanks be to God. Suggested Hymns "Called As Partners in Christ's Service" 495 TNCH "Won't You Let Me Be Your Servant?" 539 TNCH 2002 WOMEN'S MOSAIC SERIES WE102 Designed and printed by United Church Resources, Local Church Ministries Women's Mosaic Series 2002 UCC Women's Resource Margaret (Peg) Slater, Editor

Reflections from a Different Journey Edited by Stanley D. Klein, Ph.D. and John D. Kemp Reviewed by Linda Jean H. Larson, M. A. T. Coordinator, Committee on Disabilities, National Council of Churches USA What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Parents Knew, Reflections from a Different Journey is a must read for anyone disabled or non. It is excellent for anyone who is exploring disability for the first time as well as those well versed in the area of disability. Its greatest asset is the openness that comes across by all the writers. In the introduction to the book, the essayists are introduced to the reader as “...ordinary, accomplished individuals-they are not superstars” (pg. xvi) on a different journey. This frames the conversation that takes place within the book. One gift that What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Parents Knew, Reflections from a Different Journey offers is an openness that touches one with humor, anger, reflection, sadness, pain, and “aha” moments where I learned something new or where I felt connected for the first time because the writer spoke of my own experience. Although it touched upon spirituality, I was left wanting more in this area. A second gift is the approach that the editors took in focusing on the voices of adults with disabilities as they pass on their life experience. This is truly a remarkable perspective because, “our disability culture is transmitted from one of us to another, peer to peer” (pg. 197). No other culture is passed on this way. This is what gives the book its integrity and uniqueness. There is a diversity of disability (i.e. visible disabilities, sensory loss, physical disabilities and invisible disabilities such as autoimmune conditions, mental illness, autism) as well as a diversity of occupation, age, education, male and female voices throughout the book. This is well thought out except for the diversity of culture, which may have been included but not specifically stated. The complexity of living life with a disability is well brought out by introducing such topics as institutionalization, labeling, special education-good and bad, human reaction of oppression and fear, from personal stories. There are five sections in What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Parents Knew, Reflections from a Different Journey, each with a series of short essays around a specific topic. They are, “Love and Accept Me as I Am“, “Parental Expectations”, “Sexuality”, “Education About Disability”, and “Afterword: Disability Culture”. This is an excellent way to edit the book. The reader can read straight through or pick and choose essays for perusal. This is very inviting.

“Love and Accept Me as I Am”

There is an essay by Gregor Wolbring, “Parents Without Prejudice“, that speaks to a timely and sensitive topic and that is a “disability rights approach within the field of bioethics” (pg. 20). Rather than basing life and death decisions in the field of bioethics on a medical role model of disability which views disability as something that needs to be fixed and an individual concern, individuals within the disability community are calling for a paradigm that honestly speaks to the negative values society has about disability and the institutionalization of those values. I smile at the comment made by Mark Enston in his essay, “Take Me as I am (pg. 29), “People expect people with disabilities to be humble, conservative, thankful, and, worst of all, mega do-gooders. How boring!”

“Parental Expectations”

This section I find to be very reflective. In “The Rules of the “Game“”, Jeff Moyer writes, “Acceptance is a requirement for happiness, ...a deep, openhanded and openhearted acceptance” (pg. 47). In “Giving our Children Roots and Wings“, Barbara Ranmaraine speaks of her learned experience both as a child with a disability and a parent of a child with a disability, “Love sets us free; pity imprisons us” (pg. 123). She also cautions, “Hopes for the future are an important part of growing up and a life without dreams is impoverished” (pg. 124).

“Sexuality”

Few books offer the opportunity for persons with disabilities to be seen as sexual beings. In, “Relational Realism“, Jennifer Malatesta speaks to the heart of the issue, “If people with disabilities are led to believe that they cannot expect loving relationships, they may become willing to accept emotional, verbal, or physical abuse as a twisted legacy” (pg. 133). Persons with disabilities are twice as likely to be abused as the non-disabled. Yet is clear that “Each and every person is worthy of love, and no physical, emotional, or mental disability should preclude it”( pg. 135).

“Education About Disability”

Although this section is about educating oneself about disability, I found two articles that I feel are MUST read for all educators, most especially for those in the regular classroom. They are, “Twice Exceptional“, by Kassiane A. Sibley, a must read for educators and, a very moving essay, and “Learning Was Always Hard for Me“, by Damaris A. Mills, which offers practical advice for an inclusive classroom.

“Afterword: Disability Culture” By John D. Kemp

So, what is disability culture? John Kemp states this succinctly; “we are connected as a culture because of shared indignities inflicted upon us by poor architectural planning and design and by others’ stereotypically negative assumptions about us. We are also connected by the frustration and anger that well up once in a while when we tire of dealing with prostheses, scooters, and sores-and that makes us search for understanding by someone who has been where we find ourselves” (pg. 197). Many discount that there truly is a disability culture. By definition, shared experience, that which binds us together, is culture. This concept is where the book leaves us to reflect. This is how is should and needs to be. Kemp also leaves us with one inspiring thought by Carol Gill, Department of Disability and Human Development, College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois. People with disabilities have a heightened acceptance of human differences...People with disabilities consider interdependence an essential aspect of our lives. People with disabilities use humor-the ability to find something absurdly hilarious in almost anything, however dire-without it becoming self-deprecatory. People with disabilities have an ability, acquired over time living with our disabilities, to read others’ attitudes and conflicts in order to sort out, fill in the gaps, and grasp the latent meaning in contradictory social messages. Enjoy, peruse, and reflect. We are all on different journeys. What Adults with Disabilities Wish All Parents Knew, Reflections from a Different Journey poignantly and aptly describes mine, along with 54 million others in this country. I urge you to read this engaging book. -------------------------- Order this book from www.disabilitiesbooks.com Reposted from NCC Home Page

This Manual for Congregations from Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services is an 80-page resource for congregations planning the development of disability ministries. The construction-theme manual contains chapters on developing a vision, recruiting leadership and volunteers, community evangelism/marketing, teacher training and a "toolbox" of assessments, evaluations forms and other helpful items. See http://www.blhs.org/resources/spiritualResources/catalog/item.asp?item=Building%20a%20Developmental%20Disability%20Ministry%3A%20A%20Manual%20for%20Congregations.

Written by Bryan Crousoure Mental Illness Ministry As we witness the tragedy that has befallen so many in the horrific happening at Virginia Tech University, we turn to scripture and prayer. Psalm 121: "I lift up my eyes to the hills--from where will my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. God will not let your foot be moved; God who keeps you will not slumber. God who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from doing evil; God will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time and forevermore." At first reading, it may seem that this psalm promises us that we will be protected from tragedies such as this terrible thing that has happened to others. If we look deeper to the promises of God, we see that God promises that nothing shall separate us from God. The world that God created will not turn against us even when evil is carried out by other humans whose lives have been turned to hatred. God holds us when we come into life and when we go out of life. God promises that God will keep us from doing evil in retaliation for this evil. We are God's forevermore and nothing shall separate us from God's abiding love. Let us pray: Everpresent God: We believe that You have already accepted into your hands the lives of those students and teachers who have been killed in this senseless tragedy. Today we ask that you hold in Your comforting hands the families who have lost a loved one. Console the entire community of Virginia Tech. Enable them to reclaim the shattered peace of a campus devoted to learning and living together in harmony. Forgive the one who has done this awful thing and help all of us to forgive as well. If it comes our way to console someone, give us the strength to be present in days and nights of grief. Give us as families, as communities and as a society the means to recognize those whose lives are on a path of destruction of self and others. Lead us to the ways in which we can intervene in those lives so that love can replace hatred and life can be lived free of fear. In Jesus name, who promised us that neither life nor death can separate us from You, Amen If you or someone you know becomes spiritually overwhelmed by this tragedy, seek the guidance of a person whom you trust. The Rev. Bryan Crousore Anamosa First Congregational Church, Anamosa IA, 319-462-3796

A Cyclist's Guide to Progressive Living Bob Molsberry, Ohio Conference Minister, cycles with a wheelchair. Robert F. Molsberry reflects on life in terms of the RAGBRAI, the Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, he has completed for many years. Bob offers a progressive Christian perspective on life in the fast and slow lanes of the 21st Century. Molsberry is the author of Blindsided by Grace: Entering the World of Disability, A recent note from Bob says, "I'll be with Team Livestrong cycling across Iowa on RAGBRAI this summer in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation." His latest book is available at rowmanlittlefield.com or amazon.com. Cowley Publications (June 25, 2007)

The following publications about making buildings accessible are available at Partners for Sacred Places : Accessible Faith: A Technical Guide for Accessibility in Houses of Worship (2003) By Elizabeth A. Patterson and Neal A. Vogel, published by the Retirement Research Foundation. The core of this 52-page guide deals with practical solutions to eliminating physical, auditory, and visual barriers, and to improving signage, in older houses of worship. The authors use a variety of case examples and support the text with many photographs, drawings, charts, and diagrams and also include information on who is affected by a "disability", as well as the basics of accessibility laws as they pertain to houses of worship. They conclude the guide with sections covering the design, funding, and construction processes. Loving Justice: The ADA and the Religious Community (1995) By the National Organization on Disability. A guide to the Americans with Disabilities Act's effects on religious institutions and congregations. An explanation of the ADA requirements for some tenants of religious properties is included. Money and Ideas: Creative Approaches to Congregational Access (2001) By the Alban Institute and the National Organization on Disability. A source of ideas for raising money for disability access. Congregations will be inspired to think creatively about their situations and to make affordable, incremental changes to enhance worship for members and visitors alike. That All May Worship: An Interfaith Welcome To People With Disabilities (1994) By the National Organization on Disability. A handbook to assist congregations and denominational groups in welcoming people with disabilities. Interfaith in scope, it offers suggestions for building modifications to accommodate people with all types of disabling conditions.

Children's Book written by Daryl Green This engaging story opens up the difficult theme of being different in ways that are easily related to by both children and adults - a great vehicle to open up sharing about a topic that is often avoided, and needs to be discussed with sensitivity. Loretta Gula, Reviewer Densmore Reid Publications 67 South 24th Street, Richmond, IN 47374, 2003 Contact the UCC pastor at ddgreenes@hotmail.com or 765-939-2984. This engaging story opens up the difficult theme of being different in ways that are easily related to by both children and adults - a great vehicle to open up sharing about a topic that is often avoided, and needs to be discussed with sensitivity. Loretta Gula, Reviewer The web site also has the text of this book.

Twelve easy-to-read Turtle Books provide a non-threatening, storytelling bridge of understanding with friends and siblings of children with physical and mental disabilities. Jason & Nordic Publishers PO Box 441 Hollidaysburg PA 16648 814-696-2920 See curriculum resources at www.jasonandnordic.com.

Patricia McMahon, text, and John Godt, photography Homesdale, PA: Caroline House of Boyds Mills Press, Inc., 1995 This is David's story as he goes to kindergarten in a local public school.

Written by Gina and Mercer Mayer Racine, Wisconsin: Golden Books Publishing Co., Inc., 1992 One of a serieis of books about disabilities attitudes

Written by Lorraine Aseltine and others Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Co., 1986 A frustrated deaf boy who feels alone, afraid, mad, and sad until Brian, 17 and wearing hearing aids, visits his classroom. - Vera Losh, Reviewer

Tricia Brown, text, and Fran Ortiz, photography New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1982 If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this book tells volumes about special children. - Vera Losh, Reviewer

Paul has adjusted to artificial limbs. Written by Bernard Wolf Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1974 Spanish edition: No sientan lástima por Paul, trans. Ximena Lois (Philadelphia: Libros Lippincott en Espanõl, 1977).

The Rev. David C. Johnston Library Bequest For a bibliography, contact theLancaster Theological Seminary. (David Johnston chaired the National Committee of Persons with Disabilities from 1984–1988. A broad spectrum of books about disabilities written in last two decades given to Lancaster Theological Seminary library. Phone 717.290.8707 or 717.290.8742. From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

Written by Patricia MacLachlan New York: HarperCollins, 1999 A wonderful story of a little boy who pays attention to the perspective of his grandfather, who is blind, and learns that the world is much more than that which can be seen with the eyes.

Robert Perske's mystery (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1990), unfolds a story about how caring is born, giving life to all individuals rather than thinking about them as a group. Perske reveals in the lives of two teens living with severe cerebral palsy "the countenance of two people committed to being the very best people they can be." Interspersed throughout is a wealth of wisdom: "The best networkers seem to be incurable optimists. . . . A true network springs from the heart"; "One should never hold back the good music that is in people," says Perske. Otherwise they will live and die with the best talents unrecognized; and "People who don't know them will tend to see them as weaker and less than they are. At other times they are perceived as super persons with special insights and powers. Both views are unfair." Vera Losh, reviewer From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

Serious Brain Disorders - Family In Souls Are Made of Endurance, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994,) Stewart D. Govig describes the journey of a family. Three sections include "Finding Out," "Holding On," and "Letting Go." Open and frank while maintaining an analytical approach, Professor Govig explores caring for a Schizophrenic son/brother and the relationship of faith to those dealing with mental disability. I appreciate the graphics illustrating interactions of the afflicted, family, and professional healthcare workers. Govig's search for faith is tight, logical, and biblical as well as a personal testament. This said, the broader mechanics of clinical reality and insight into family caring are universal. Govig addresses family issues with respect and generous sincerity. As one who lives with a chronic mental disability, I value Govig's candor and look forward to reading his other works: Strong at the Broken Places (1989) and In the Shadow of Our Steeples (1999). Bruce W. Jamieson, reviewer From UCC DM Newsletter Archive

A Handbook for Family, Friends, and Caregivers Written by Rebecca Woolis New York: J. P. Tarcher/Perigree 1992 Available from Putnam Publishing Group 200 Madison Ave New York NY 10016

Written by Jennifer Shifrin Available from Pathways to Promise Phone: 314.644.8400

A Book of Help and Hope for People with Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Phobia Written by Jerilyn Ross New York: Bantam, 1994

Compiled by Enid Peschel and others San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1992

Kernodle, William D. Panic Disorder: The Medical Point of View. There Is No Need to Suffer! Richmond, Va.:1995. A Complete Guide to Its Diagnosis and Treatment Written by Donald E. Klein and Paul H. Wender New York: Oxford University Press, 1993

A Manual for Families, Consumers, and Providers Written by Torrey, E. Fuller, M.D. 3rd Ed. New York: HarperPerennial, 1995. Available from the Special Markets Department; HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.; 10 East 53rd St; New York NY.

Understanding and Response Written by Crystal Horning, MS, NCC, Mennonite Mutual Aid Mental Illness Consultant Published July, 2001 To order, phone 800.348.7468, ext. 269. May also order on-line at www.mma-online.org/resources. Crystal Horning represented the Anabaptist faith groups on the board of Pathways to Promise. Under her leadership, Mennonite Mutual Aid has done very creative work in the field of mental illness. - Bob Dell. All too often, books and materials that are supposed to help people better understand a particular subject are written with more than enough jargon and scientific and medical terminology to make us close the cover after the first few paragraphs. Much too often, the human side of the subject matter is forgotten. This is not the case with Crystal Horning's, A Christian View of Mental Illness: Understanding and Response. In this wonderfully readable booklet, we are introduced to real people, including the author, who are successfully living with mental illness. The glimpses into their personal lives are uplifting as well as educational. Their stories add great relevance to the sections of the booklet that define and look at the causes of mental illness. The author also discusses the role of faith in helping individuals, their families and care givers walk through the journey of mental illness. Our Christian response must be a change in attitude, provision of supportive care, education, advocacy, and interaction. The booklet includes a list of national organizations and resources as well as an extensive bibliography of books across a wide range of interest areas. I knew from the first paragraph of the section on the impact of mental illness that I would appreciate Horning's writings. She notes that people affected or impacted by mental illness need pastors and church families who respond with empathy and understanding, no matter how great the challenge. As Horning states, "They need Jesus with skin on." What a tremendous statement! If we are to be the example of Jesus' love and model the teachings of Christ in our world, then we are to be "Jesus with skin on." That one statement encompasses our total Christian response to not only individuals with mental illness and their families but to all God's people. Review by Martha E. Stokes., Director, Commission on Disabilities, Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

This seventy-eight page manual addresses attitudinal and architectural access in inclusive and helpful way. Part I, "People with Disabilities in the Family of God." Divided into seven sections, including one on the power of words and another of suggestion for when "you meet someone who has a disability." Part II, "Providing a Welcoming Environment." Divided into eleven parts. One those parts addresses chemical sensitivities/environmental illness and another, the concerns about funding sources. A list of foundations that provide grant monies for access projects should be very helpful. This section is not confined to church- related situations, but also has a section called "Accessible Home Design Resources:" Extensive Appendix Fourteen sections. It is available from the persons listed below. These persons are also available to answer questions and provide information. Rev. Barbara Ranmaraine Episcopal Disability Network 3024 E. Minnehaha Pkwy Minneapolis MN 55406 Phone: 888.422.0320 ext. 6634 Ms. Mary Jane Steinhagen Catholic Charities - Office for People with Disabilities 3225-32 Ave S Minneapolis MN 55406 Phone: 612.729.7845

Guidelines for Working with Persons with Disabilities Written by Harold H. Wilke Abingdon Press, 2000

A Ministry for Families of the Mentally Ill Written by Pastor Steven Waterhouse Westcliff Bible Church P.O. Box 1521 Amarillo TX 79105 806-359-6362 Written by the Pastor of Westcliff Bible Church in Amarillo, Texas, this book is a study guide addressing the needs of Christian families of those with severe mental illness. Topics discussed include the response of churches to mental illness, the medical basis of schizophrenia, handling emotional responses in families with persons with mental illness, theology relating to suffering, and the intrinsic human worth of all persons, including those with mental illness. A list of organizations and a fifteen-page bibliography complete the book. Paper - 136 pp. No charge.

Written by C. Walton Giddy Westminster/John Knox Press Wayne E. Oates has written an engaging foreword to this book. The author describes his recovery from depression, including a period of hospitalization. Sharing the understandings to Which he came in the recovery process, he reflects on how we are all equal in God's eyes.

Written by Lillian V. Grisham This book presents a first person account of Lillian Grisham's experience with a five-year period of depression. She portrays the complexity of severe depression and the complexity of its healing, giving full credit for the latter to her husband, Ray, her pastor, and her Christian psychiatrist. In his own section of the book, Ray gives an account of his experience with her illness and offers practical advice for family members and friends who would like to know how to help. The necessity of both psychiatry and spiritual counseling for persons with mental illness is underscored. Paper - 223 pp. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 255 Jefferson Avenue, S.E. Grand Rapids MI 49503

An Annotated Bibliography Compiled by the Health and Welfare Ministries Program Department, United Methodist Church

UCC Disabilities Ministries has published many excellent, but largely under-utilized, resources. The following is a brief description of these resources:
A History of Disability Advocacy in the United Church of Christ by Albert Herzog ($3.00). Available from the Office of UCC Disabilities Ministries.

The Local Church and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

is a comprehensive overview of the ADA as it legally and morally affects the church community. How-to's, cost figuring, and examples of barrier removal are concisely discussed. Relevant terms are well-defined. The Local Church Accessibility Checklist and the illustrated guide of Building Code Specifications can be invaluable when contracting for renovations and spending limited funds on architectural access.

Is Everyone Welcome? A Guide to Ministries with Persons with Disabilities

is a newly updated publication. This booklet is designed to help congregations become truly accessible to all. The authors encourage a searching inventory of potential architectural and attitudinal barriers. A variety of disabilities, both obvious (mobility impairment) and unseen (traumatic brain injury, mental illness) are discussed.

Practical Helps for Church Ushers

is a tri-fold brochure for ushers and others providing specific recommendations for welcoming persons with visual, hearing, speech, and mobility impairments, as well as developmental disabilities and mental illness. This resource is frequently used as a sensitivity training tool for education in interpersonal communication skills. Basic suggestions ease the uncertainties many people feel upon greeting a person with a disability.

Respite Care and the Church

is written for congregations that include children and adults with disabilities and chronic illness who require continual care. This is a resource guide that promotes awareness and the ability to establish a Respite Care Ministry to give periodic relief to caregivers.

Resources for Worship on Access Sunday

includes scripture and liturgy, sermon ideas, and worship resources for ministry with people who have disabilities in celebration of UCC Access Sunday, the second Sunday in October. Easily duplicated.

NCPWD Resource Folder

includes the resources listed above and a periodically revised bibliography of suggested resources for ministry with persons with disabilities. The Resource Folder also contains the UCCDM newsletter and inserts on disability etiquette, "person-first" language, Christian education of adults and children, strategies for accessibility with minimum cost, and multi-sensory worship ideas. The folder contains important information and materials from the UCC Mental Illness Network (MIN). These resources can be ordered from UC Resources: Letters from My Sisters - Words of Wisdom and Comfort for Women Living with a Brain Disorder Commonly Known As Mental Illness Letters from My Sisters - Words of Wisdom and Comfort for Women Living with Disabilities Mosiac Series, --In God's Image